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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23552833">April Kisses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quickspinner/pseuds/Quickspinner'>Quickspinner</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Kissing, One Shot Collection, Smooching, Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:28:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23552833</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quickspinner/pseuds/Quickspinner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of ficlets for a kiss prompt on Tumblr, featuring Lukanette kisses of all varieties. Because sometimes you just want to skip straight to the smooches.</p><p>This update: Chapters 23-30</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>302</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I was having kind of a lousy day and I decided you know what, I'm going to write some smoochies, so I took that <a href="https://kashimalin-fanfiction.tumblr.com/post/178524845380/50-types-of-kisses-writing-prompts">Kiss Prompt</a> that's been going around and started writing ficlets for it. I'd like to do the whole month, but we'll see how far I get!</p><p>Originally I was just going to break these with line breaks, but then I decided it would be better to do a separate chapter for each, so expect multiple chapters at a time. &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>1. Small kisses littered across the other’s face</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>1. Small kisses littered across the other’s face</em>
  </b>
</p><p>His legs are longer than hers, but she’s more experienced at the chase, and she’s clever. Any minor misstep on his part closes the gap between them. Viperion can sense that she’s gaining on him and makes a half-hearted attempt at increasing his speed, but the truth is, he wants to be caught and they both know it. At least half of the exhilaration he feels from this race comes from anticipating the way it will end.</p><p>But he knows Ladybug will pout if he lets her win, and as adorable as it is, he respects her enough to at least make it a contest. It’s worth it when she finally catches him, laughing and breathless and triumphant as she comes alongside him, and when he looks he gets one quick glimpse of beautiful blue eyes sparkling with the victory before she tackles him to the rooftop. </p><p>They curl together on instinct, hands moving to shield heads as they hit and roll together across the rooftop. His breathless laugh joins hers as she scrambles to reach his face as soon as they stop, planting kisses all over his chin and cheeks and forehead until he finally manages to turn his face up enough for her to find his lips. </p><p>She kisses him hard once, twice, and then slower, hands coming to gently frame his face. She rests her forehead against his for a moment and just breathes, and his heart throbs as his hands come up to cradle her head against him. They breathe together one moment more, and then Ladybug kisses his nose and sits up, moving off of him. Viperion pushes himself up to a sitting position as well, reaching for her. She smiles and lets him draw her into his arms, and it’s his turn to press soft kisses to her cheek and jaw and behind her ear, dodging her seeking mouth with a smirk to do the same on the other side. He brushes her hair back to kiss her forehead, and kisses the bridge of her nose where her freckles peek out from beneath her mask, and then he can’t resist her perfect lips any longer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>2. A small, fleeting kiss - which is immediately followed by a passionate, hungry kiss.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>(these are not connected unless otherwise noted)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>2. A small, fleeting kiss - which is immediately followed by a passionate, hungry kiss.</em>
    <br/>
  </b>
</p><p>“Knock ‘em dead,” she says, putting one hand on his arm, and he leans down for the kiss he expects on his cheek, the same one he’s always gotten before a show, but instead Marinette raises up on her toes and pecks his lips.</p><p>Luka blinks once. Oh right. They’re dating now. This isn’t a good-luck-to-my-friend kiss anymore. It’s a good luck kiss from his <em>girlfriend</em>. Impulsively he leans back down for another, and then one more as she giggles, and then he can’t stop and his hands are in her hair and her lips are parting for him and he’s never much cared for coffee but he’s finding it’s not half bad when he’s tasting it on Marinette’s tongue, especially when she drinks it with so much sugar. Her hands flutter for a moment in surprise before gripping his upper arms tightly. </p><p>Luka’s vaguely aware of someone calling his name but it doesn’t really register as he tilts her head back, until he feels the familiar smack of Juleka’s hand to the back of his head. </p><p>“LUKA.” </p><p>“What?” he snaps, pulling away from Marinette to glare at his sister. </p><p>“We’re on, dumbass,” she tells him, looking equal parts disgusted and amused, the rest of the band already turning towards the stage and trying to cover their snickers, and abruptly it occurs to Luka that he’s had an audience this whole time. </p><p>“Right,” he muttered, putting on his mask quickly to cover his blush. He looks back at Marinette, who’s standing there rather dazed, and starts to lift a hand, to touch her cheek or brush her hair back or something, but Juleka grabs his arm and spins him around and shoves him towards the stage. It’s probably for the best, he reflects as he picks up his guitar from the stand and slings it over his shoulder. He probably wouldn’t have been able to keep himself from kissing her again. Because she’s his <em>girlfriend</em>.</p><p>Once in place, he glances back to the wings, just in time to see Marinette stagger and grab the edge of a crate to steady herself as she puts a hand on her heart. </p><p>He’s grinning like a fool when the stage lights come up.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>3. A breathy demand: “Kiss me” - and what the other person does to respond.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <strong>3. A breathy demand: “Kiss me” - and what the other person does to respond.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>He’s kind of been expecting this. She’s leaned on him for so much, and he’s been happy to let her, and he knows that she feels lonely and unappreciated and that she feels safe with him. </p><p>So when Marinette looks up from where she’s been huddled in his arms and says, “Luka?” in a soft, barely there voice, his throat seizes up for a moment and he feels a flutter of panic in his stomach. Because he’s kind of been expecting this but he still has no idea what the right thing to do is. Because he loves her and he’s having trouble finding the line between generosity and selfishness. </p><p>“Yeah?” he says, clearing his throat, still not knowing what to do.</p><p>“Kiss me?” she breathes, blushing, shy, and how can he refuse that, when he knows refusing will hurt her? When he wants it himself, has wanted every day to kiss her pain away, to show her what real love looks like, to be something she isn’t ready for him to be, doesn’t want him to be.</p><p>Luka takes in a deep breath and sighs it out. He strokes his hands over her face, willing her to understand as he brushes her hair back and softly, softly, kisses her forehead.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>4. An accidental brush of lips followed by a pause and going back for another, on purpose. </p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I maybe stretched the definition of 'accidental' on this one...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em><b>4. An accidental brush of lips followed by a pause and going back for another, on purpose.</b> </em>
</p><p>Marinette comes in like a miniature hurricane as usual, her arms full with her sketchbook and fabric samples. She exchanges a quick bise with Rose and then Juleka, and then Ivan as she dumps her things on the couch he’s sitting on. She turns toward Luka with a smile.</p><p>“Hey, Marinette,” Luka says, bending down slightly for his turn. </p><p>Only instead of kissing the air beside his cheek as he expects, she lifts up on her toes and gives him a quick, barely-there peck on the lips before letting her heels fall and continuing her tirade. </p><p>Luka blinks past Marinette at Juleka, somehow wanting her to confirm that that just happened. Her open mouth and wide eyes suggest it did. The rest of the band is sporting similar expressions until Rose squeaks, “Out! Everybody out!” and shoves into Ivan as hard as she can, which doesn’t do much but does startle the big guy into moving. On his way out he grabs Juleka’s arm and drags her with him. Their clatter up the stairs is in no way discreet or quiet and Marinette looks up from the fabric samples she is sorting on the couch and stares after them in confusion. </p><p>She frowns and Luka can actually see her replay the last few minutes in her mind and knows the exact moment that she realizes what she did. The fabric samples drop from her hands and Marinette’s eyes go round and her face goes pale and her sweet pink mouth drops open into a little ‘o’ as she tries to find something to say. </p><p>Luka doesn’t really care whether she says anything at all; would rather, in fact, that she didn’t if she’s just going to play it off like—well, it’s not <em>usual</em> anymore, actually, the lame half-baked and poorly articulated excuses have mostly been quietly acknowledged as unnecessary between them. They’ve talked about a lot of things, but they’ve never needed to talk about this: whatever happens, nothing changes between them unless Marinette wants it to. </p><p>So he just stands there as the color starts to come back into her face and waits as he always does for her to figure out how she wants to handle this. He has his hopes and his preferences but it’s important that it be Marinette’s decision.</p><p>So that when she squares her shoulders and walks up to him, he knows that it’s because she wants to. When she comes up on her toes and puts her hands on his shoulders, it’s her choice. Luka leans down to meet her but it’s Marinette who presses her lips to his, firmly this time. She slides her arms around his neck and kisses him again and only when she leans back and smiles at him, shy but pleased, only then does he wrap his arms around her waist and pick her up off her feet and kiss her and kiss her until Juleka yells down the stairs for them to hurry up already so they can start practice.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>5. Throwing their arms around the other person’s neck, hugging them close before kissing them passionately on the lips.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>5. Throwing their arms around the other person’s neck, hugging them close before kissing them passionately on the lips.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>Luka’s heart is beating faster than it has any right to when they finally let him off the plane. He’s home, and she’s here, and they’ve been talking and texting the whole time he was gone, and it...somehow it felt different from before, and their conversations kept getting longer and the tone warmer and the gentle teasing a little more daring, and hope has been growing in him, and now that he is home that hope is alive and fluttering in his belly. It made it hard to eat on the plane. He’ll be starving, he thinks absently, if he ever manages to calm down. </p><p>He spots her just a second before she spots him, and he’s trying not to run but he might as well be with the way his long strides carry him towards her. When she sees him she starts moving with the same sort of urgency, and she <em>does</em> run the last few steps to him.</p><p>Luka drops his things and opens his arms as she barrels into him and throws her arms around his neck, and he’s reminded how strong she is as she squeezes him tight, but he doesn’t mind because he’s crushing her just as hard. “You’re back,” she whispers, and he grins against her hair.</p><p>“Yeah,” is all he can manage. </p><p>He feels her trying to lean back and loosens his hold, opening his mouth to say something, anything, preferably something that is not <em>I’m still hopelessly in love with you let’s get married</em>, but he doesn’t get past breathing in before her mouth is on his, and it’s entirely instinct that he kisses her back because his brain has gone completely offline. He can’t think, he just feels, feels her hands in his hair and her body pressed against him and her mouth warm and electric against his in a way that is definitely not <em>just a friend</em>. </p><p>He’s panting when it’s over and sways after her even though he really needs to breathe. Marinette pulls back and looks up at him, and she looks just as surprised as he is. “Um…” she says, face going crimson. “Hi.” </p><p>“Hi,” he breathes, a huge smile taking over his face. “So...do I have to go and come back again for that to happen again? Because I can book another flight. Something short and round trip.” </p><p>“Shut up,” Marinette giggles, and he laughs with her, pressing his forehead to his, and when the laughing stops, there are more kisses, softer and shyer, but still amazing. Still <em>real</em>.</p><p>“Um,” Marinette asks finally, pulling away from him and looking around. “Where’s your family? I thought there would be more than just me meeting you.” </p><p>Luka chuckles. “I may have told them to be here half an hour later than I told you.” </p><p>Marinette looks back at him, eyes wide and blush darkening.</p><p>Luka shrugs. “I didn’t expect that kind of greeting,” he teases, wrapping his hands around hers. “But I was kinda hoping, after everything, that we might have <em>something</em>...and I just thought we’d maybe rather not have witnesses. In case it got awkward, or...whatever.” </p><p>“Whatever,” Marinette echoes, giggling as she pulls one hand free to cover her face. “I can’t believe I did that. I didn’t even ask. I wasn’t thinking, I just—”</p><p>“Good,” Luka laughs. “You think too much anyway.” He picks up his carry-on and tugs her hand lightly. “Come on, let’s go get my stuff. Are you free tonight? I’m sure Mom and Jules will want to do something, I’d love it if you came.” He bumps his arm against hers. “Maybe afterwards we can ditch them for a while and...talk about some things?” </p><p>Marinette bites her lip and he has to look away, but his smile widens as her fingers lace through his and her other hand curls around his bicep. “That would be nice. We should definitely talk.” </p><p>“Right,” Luka says dreamily from where he has taken up permanent residence on cloud nine. “Talk.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>6. Wild, breathless kisses brought on by a heartfelt gift. </p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em><b>6. Wild, breathless kisses brought on by a heartfelt gift.</b> </em>
</p><p>He feels a little foolish as he leads her to his room and opens a drawer full of Marinette originals to retrieve the soft blue knitted scarf laying on top. She’s given him so many things, more and more since he found her crying in the middle of the day and told her he was there for her, that she could lean on him. She was always prone to a little gift here and there but the more she took him up on his offer of comfort and a listening ear, the more presents she gave him. Luka had tried gently to stop her, but eventually accepted that the gifts came from gratitude and not guilt, and settled for accepting them as gracefully as he could.</p><p>The scarf really feels like quite a poor offering in return and he hesitates just a moment before laying it across her hands. It’s not nearly good enough in his mind, not compared to the masterful things she makes, but he knows she won’t mind. Marinette being Marinette, probably considers her own gifts just as flawed, always sure there’s something she could have done better. His might be simple, and not completely even, but the yarn was soft and warm and— </p><p>“The color reminded me of you,” Luka said, reaching out to let the end of the scarf slip through his fingers one more time. “So I was always thinking of you while I was making it. I’m not nearly as good as you are, it’s just a hobby for me, something I do to relax, but—” He stops himself, having admonished Marinette more than once for criticizing her own handiwork. “Anyway, I hope it keeps you warm.” </p><p>Luka’s mostly prepared for the way she throws herself at him and wraps her arms around him in a hug.</p><p>He’s not at all prepared for the way she grabs his face in her cold hands and kisses all over it, barely registering the thank yous she gasps as she does so. He’s already forgotten how to breathe when she presses one last kiss, hard but lingering, to his lips, and he has to suck in air as soon as she lets go just to keep from passing out. </p><p>“Thank you,” she says one last time, shoulders heaving with her own short breaths, and her lips are trembling, and there are tears in her beautiful eyes, and Luka can’t help reaching for her, cupping her face in one hand while smoothing her bangs back with the other.</p><p>“Hey, don’t cry,” he says, stroking her cheek with his thumb and catching a tear just as it falls. “Oh, Marinette, please don’t cry.” Luka slides a hand behind her neck and guides her head to his shoulder, and he holds her, rocking slightly, rubbing his hand over her back. He sighs, not really sure what to say. His heart breaks a little thinking that with all she’s done, all the gifts she’s given, that his simple gift is so unusual as to affect her this deeply. </p><p>“Sorry,” she sniffles, pushing away from him. “I’m just so touched. You give me so much of your time already, and now you spent all that time making this for me, and just...you’re so…so sweet—“</p><p>Luka laughs through his nose. “I’ve got a drawer full of clothes way too nice for me that say you’re the sweet one. But—“ he added, before she could protest. “I’m happy you like it.”</p><p>“I love it!” She grins brightly, bounces up on her toes to kiss his nose, and wraps his scarf around her neck in delight while he tries to keep his grin in the realm of <em>fond</em> without venturing into <em>dopey</em> territory. She strikes a pose with her new scarf maybe it’s not exactly a match for her eyes, because really what could be, but it’s close enough, and yeah, that grin is definitely turning dopey now, but he really doesn’t care when she’s smiling like that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>7. French kisses where they trace every tooth with their tongues as though trying to memorize them.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>No offense to the person who wrote the prompts but I just could not play this one straight. Sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>7. French kisses where they trace every tooth with their tongues as though trying to memorize them.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>He tried not to laugh. He really did. He knew Marinette was younger and less experienced (not that he’d ever call himself anything approaching a makeout expert, but he probably seemed like one to her) and chronically self-conscious, and they haven’t done much tongue kissing before and there’s probably going to be a learning curve, so he tried to sit there as she traced his teeth with her tongue, trying to tell himself it wasn’t that weird, but she seemed intent on tracing each one individually and pretty soon he couldn’t take it anymore. He laughed into her mouth and pulled away. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly, but was still laughing, “Marinette, no, seriously, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh at you, I just—” Her face was beginning to light up red in horror and mortification. </p><p>“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Still laughing, Luka pulled her face into his chest and curled around her, trying simultaneously to give her the privacy to be embarrassed and to keep her from running away, because who knows how long it would take them to get back to this point and he really didn’t want to wait another month before he got to kiss her like this again. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” he repeated, trying to choke back the laughter. “I’m sorry, you know I’d never make fun of you, just—I’m sorry, but that was maybe not really my thing.” He lowered his head to nuzzle her hair. “I’m sorry for laughing, I really am. It’s okay, it’s not a big deal.”</p><p>She made a despairing noise into his shirt, but her hands came up to cling to him, so maybe he hadn’t totally destroyed her trust.</p><p>Luka just held her for a minute while he got his snickering under control, and then he waited another minute for her to face him on her own. When she didn’t, he slipped one hand into her hair and tugged lightly, and she grudgingly let him tilt her head back. He brushed his lips against hers, lightly at first and then more firmly, and coaxed her into the kind of soft, intimate kiss that they’d been sharing for weeks in every dark corner they could find. </p><p>“It’s okay,” he told her. “I promise, I’m not going anywhere. That was just, um—” He bit his lip, trying to find a diplomatic phrasing for<em> that was ridiculous please don’t ever do it again.</em> It took him a bit too long and Marinette groaned, burying her face in his shoulder again.</p><p>“Luka,” she whined. “You’re not helping my confidence here.” </p><p>“I’m so sorry,” he chuckled. “It’s okay, Marinette, really, I just—where did you even get that idea? It’s like something out of one of those teen magazines Juleka used to bring home by the dozen when she was freaking out about kissing Rose for the first time.”   </p><p>Marinette’s hands tightened on his shirt and Luka’s mouth dropped open slightly. “Marinette. You didn’t.” </p><p>“Of course not,” she mumbled into his chest. “That would be juvenile and stupid and of course it wouldn’t help me figure out how to make out with my stupid, stupidly <em>hot</em> older boyfriend.” </p><p>Luka broke into a ridiculous grin that he was kind of glad Marinette couldn’t see. His reputation for chill would be utterly shot if she could see how he was dancing around like an idiot on the inside at hearing her call him <em>stupidly hot</em>. “Your stupid, stupidly hot boyfriend that’s been head over heels for you for what, almost a year now?” he told her, rubbing her back soothingly as he nuzzled her ear, not so coincidentally exhaling lightly into it before moving away to kiss the top of her head. Marinette shivered. “Who feels crazy lucky that you’re interested in kissing him at all, let alone that you care enough to do—” Whatever powers are out there please help him, please keep him from laughing again, “—research?” Honestly, he should have guessed she would, it was so Marinette. Never let a problem lie if you could worry to death over it or research the hell out of it. “Can I tell you what I told Juleka?” he asked, not trying to hide the love and affection in his voice. She turned her head just enough to look up at him with one eye.</p><p>“Okay,” she said slowly. </p><p>“I told her, those things, they might teach you how to kiss, but none of them are going to teach you how to kiss Rose. And she might know how to kiss somebody, but she doesn’t know how to kiss you either. So isn’t it maybe okay if you guys learn together?” He gave her a moment to absorb that, and then slid his hands to her shoulders and pushed lightly, not enough to move her, but enough that she sighed and moved herself, sitting back and brushing her hair out of her face. Her hair ties were already discarded on the bed somewhere beside them. Luka loved her hair, it was so soft and it felt like cool silk sliding through his fingers and—</p><p>Focus. Marinette was looking at him. “I want to learn how to kiss you,” he told her, “And I want you to learn how to kiss me, and I don’t mind if we learn together, and I don’t mind if things get a little silly sometimes along the way. And I’m not opposed to getting, um...<em>inspiration</em>…” He coughed, which didn’t quite hide the laughter wanting to bubble up again. Marinette gave him a sour look as he cleared his throat and went on. “From...other sources. Just know that it’s not always going to work out, and that’s okay.” </p><p>Marinette made a noncommittal noise, lips in a slight pout that was very distracting. He sighed fondly; trying to decide how to get the mood back. He wet his lips absently with his tongue and saw her eyes follow the motion. Not hopeless, then. He just needed the right…</p><p>Luka leaned in like he was telling her a secret, bringing his hands up to cup her face and brushing his thumb across her lower lip. “Will you think I’m a total pervert,” he said, eyes half-lidded, voice low and silky, “If I tell you how pretty your mouth is?” She made a little squeak, and he was too close to really see her blush, but he felt the heat under his hands and smirked. “So pretty,” he breathed, kissing her full lower lip softly. “When it comes to me kissing you,” he kissed the corner of her mouth. “You absolutely don’t have to worry.” He kissed her full on the mouth, but lightly, smiling when she swayed after him. “I totally want to kiss you,” he kissed the other corner. “And I want you to kiss me,” he kissed her jaw. “And learning how,” he added, kissing again a little further along her jaw. “And where,” he kissed the hinge of her jaw and then lower on her neck, and felt her jump a little against him, and he moved up and kissed behind her ear, just brushing the lobe with his lips as he moved back towards her mouth. “I think it’s more fun this way,” he breathed against her lips, and kissed her slowly, shuddering himself as her hand finally lifted from his shirt to slide up his jaw and into his hair. </p><p>Luka drew back and looked at her fondly, running his fingers through her hair as his eyes roved over her face. He was so crazy in love with this girl and if he wasn’t afraid of scaring her off he’d tell her so with every breath. </p><p>“So…” her fingers twirled in his hair and Luka almost closed his eyes, which would have saved him from the hotness that was the Marinette smirk, but he was long past wanting to be saved. “Are you going to show me how it’s done or not?” </p><p>“Oh, pressure,” Luka chuckled, rubbing his nose along hers. “I’ll do my best.” </p><p>“I’ll try not to laugh at you,” Marinette grumbled, but that just reminded him of how the whole thing started, and he began to laugh again. “Oh my God,” Marinette muttered, and then suddenly she was in his lap pulling his face to hers and kissing him hard. “I’m gonna get so good at this that you’ll be begging me to kiss you.” </p><p>“Already there, babe,” Luka laughed, arms twining around her waist to pull her closer. “I’m <em>so</em> already there. C’mere.” </p><p>It was a long time before either of them said anything else.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the point where I decided I wasn't going to worry about going in order anymore, heh. This one goes along with <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/21472690/chapters/51173392">All in the Family</a> but can stand alone</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b> <em>10. A hello/good-bye kiss that is given without thinking - where neither person thinks twice about it.</em> </b>
</p><p>Mornings were chaos, Marinette reflected, when neither one of you were a morning person. Marinette had managed to get showered at least, which was the hardest part of the morning routine to accomplish with a baby who’d just become mobile, but she was still making breakfast with just a fluffy robe over her underwear, trying to finish in time for Luka to have something to eat before he left.<b></b></p><p>There was a knock on the door, and Plagg phased through less than a second afterward, making a beeline for the kitchen.</p><p>“Tell Adrien he can just come on in,” Marinette told the kwami, distracted.</p><p>“Eh, he can wait,” Plagg said, eagerly descending on the small cheese omelet she’d already set aside for him.</p><p>“Plagg,” Marinette said in exasperation, and then turned a plaintive look on her own kwami. “Tikki?” </p><p>Tikki giggled, and zipped to the door, unlocking the deadbolt and then phasing through to let Adrien know to come in. A few minutes later the man himself stood behind her in the kitchen. </p><p>“Morning,” Marinette said, shoveling a half an omelet each onto two plates. “I’ll have another ready in a minute.” </p><p>“No rush on my account, Princess.” </p><p>“Yeah, well, not all of us are the boss,” Luka said, appearing in the doorway dressed for work, his hair still wet. Marinette handed him the other plate. “Don’t bother making another, babe, there’s no time, go get dressed while we eat, we’ll watch Erika.” </p><p>“Sorry,” Marinette sighed, turning off the stove.</p><p>“It was both of us, don’t worry about it, this’ll hold me until lunch.” Luka kissed her cheek and went to the table, reaching into the high chair to tickle Erika’s tummy, distracting her from dropping the bits of omelet Adrien had sneaked her on the floor. “I told you she’s not eating that kind of food yet.”</p><p>“She wanted some!” Adrien protested with his mouth full.</p><p>“She wants everything, Adrien, that doesn’t mean—”</p><p>Marinette giggled as she closed the bedroom door, cutting off the bickering, and went to her closet to find something she could throw together quickly. She managed to find something mostly acceptable and did her hair quickly, and found Adrien playing with Erika on the floor while Luka was searching through the couch cushions.</p><p>“Babe, have you seen my phone?” he asked as soon as Marinette came in. “I swear I just had it.” </p><p>“Here,” she said, holding it out. “You left it on the bathroom counter.”</p><p>“Oh, thanks,” he said, flashing her that grin that still gave her butterflies. “All right, Adrien, I’m ready to go.”</p><p>“The towncar awaits,” Adrien said, getting to his feet as Marinette picked up Erika and set her on her hip.</p><p>“Oh, tell me we’re not riding in that thing,” Luka sighed.</p><p>“Sorry, I have stuff to do and no time to drive all over looking for parking today,” Adrien told him, checking his watch. “If you want a ride it’s the towncar or nothing.” </p><p>“Ugh,” Luka grumbled, walking to the door.  </p><p>“Do you want a ride or not?” </p><p>“I do, I do, I’m coming.” </p><p>Luka plucked Erika out of her arms and kissed the baby’s cheek “Bye, munchkin.” He handed her to Adrien and caught Marinette around the waist, bending her back slightly with the force of his kiss. “Bye babe, see you tonight,” he said, setting her upright. Adrien handed Erika back to Marinette and exchanged cheek kisses with her as Luka picked up his guitar case and his jacket.</p><p>“Have a good day, both of you!” Marinette waved after them both. </p><p>“Love you!” Luka called at the same time Adrien said, “Bye, Princess,” and then the door swung shut.</p><p>“Well,” Marinette said, looking down at the baby on her hip. “Now that the circus is gone, maybe you and I can get some work done, hmm?”</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>8. Laying a gentle kiss to the back of the other’s hand. </p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Luka? Are you okay?” </p><p>He looked up in surprise. “Hmm?”</p><p>“You keep moving your hand like it hurts,” Marinette said, tilting her head slightly. </p><p>“Oh.” Luka looked down at his left hand, which he had been stretching. “I’m fine, I just overdid things a bit this week and I’m a little sore.” He gestured to the books he had strewn over her chaise. “It’s why I’m doing homework instead of playing.”</p><p>Marinette put her pencil and sketchbook down on her desk and turned, rolling her chair towards him. “Would you like a massage?”</p><p>Luka looked up at her, eyes widening slightly. “Sorry?”</p><p>“Would you like a hand massage? I do them for Papa all the time when he gets sore.” </p><p>“Oh,” Luka said blankly. “Well...sure, yeah, if you don’t mind. Not if you’re busy though.” </p><p>Marinette brightened. “I can take a break for a minute. Hang on, I’ll be right back.”</p><p>Luka moved his books out of the way and turned so that his feet were on the floor, fidgeting a little nervously. He didn’t mind Marinette touching him, not at all, and his hands did hurt, but…</p><p>But it was one thing to cuddle a girl while she cried and kind of another to have her touching him quite so deliberately. Then again, it was just his hand. He could handle having a pretty girl that he was completely crushing on rubbing his hand. It would be fine.</p><p>Marinette came back with a towel and a small container. She draped the towel over her lap and scooted her desk chair up close so that they were knee to knee. </p><p>“Sorry, it’s just olive oil,” she smiled with a slight shrug. “We don’t use the fancy stuff. No allergies, right?” </p><p>“No, I’m good,” Luka said, slipping the ring off his index finger and dropping it in his pocket. He watched as she rubbed a little bit of oil on her hands. Marinette held out her hands and Luka placed his sore hand in hers. </p><p>“Be gentle,” he joked, and Marinette glanced up and winked at him.</p><p>“Of course. But do tell me if something hurts, okay?” She dripped some oil on his hand and began stroking it, smoothing the oil over it. “It’s supposed to feel good.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Luka said, swallowing. “I will.” It did feel good. Her hands looked tiny, holding his, but when she began to glide her thumbs over his wrist, the pressure was firm and even. Luka shook his head slightly, smiling a little. “I don’t know why I keep being surprised at how strong you are.”</p><p>“Too much?” Marinette asked, pausing to look up at him. </p><p>“No, not at all, it’s nice. Where did you learn this?”</p><p>“My mother,” Marinette replied absently, dropping her gaze back to her hand and resuming her ministrations, moving slowly down his hand. “Sometimes I get hand cramps from drawing or sewing, and she would help me this way. Eventually I learned so that I could help her and Papa the same way. I guess you could kind of call it a family skill, we all work really hard with our hands around here so we all got good at it.”</p><p>“That’s awesome. I’d love it if you could teach me,” Luka grinned. “I’d have a lot more leverage in the family chore bargaining.”</p><p>“Your family does chores?” Marinette teased. </p><p>Luka snorted. “Maman might not be big on cleaning in general but the boat still needs maintenance. You haven’t done chores until you’ve been elbow deep in grease, flat on your back, choking on diesel fumes in the boat’s engine room.” </p><p>Marinette wrinkled her nose. “Ew.”</p><p>Luka shrugged. “The independent life isn’t as glamorous as we make it look sometimes,” he teased with a wink. “Anyway, if you can teach me at least I’ll be able to return the favor sometime.” </p><p>That made her blush prettily, and Luka bit down on his smile, a little more grateful than usual for the reminder that she was affected by him, Adrien or no Adrien. Because he was definitely affected by her. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  </p><p>“I like your hands,” Marinette blurted suddenly, and her blush deepened. </p><p>“They’re kind of rough,” Luka replied, rubbing his free hand through his hair. “Between the guitar and the boat and the bike…” </p><p>“That just means they work hard,” Marinette smiled up at him for just a moment before dropping her eyes to his hand again. “They’re so big,” she murmured. “You hands, I mean. Not like Papa’s—”</p><p>“I don’t think anyone has hands like your Papa’s,” Luka laughed. </p><p>She grinned up at him. “That’s true. But yours are nice too. Capable, I guess that’s the word I was looking for..”</p><p>Luka smiled. “I like your hands too, Marinette. More and more every minute, actually.” </p><p>Marinette ducked her head slightly and cleared her throat. “Is it helping?” </p><p>“I’m not really sure yet, but it feels really good.” </p><p>Marinette was very thorough, working over the back of his hand and then over his palm to loosen his stiff muscles, and pausing to press what he assumed must be pressure points. </p><p>He got through that much okay, but sitting through her working her way up each of his fingers individually was a special kind of torture, and Luka mentally cursed the inconveniences of being a teenage boy as he tried to keep his breathing even. </p><p>“Hopefully, that should help,” she said, stroking his hand slowly. </p><p>Luka opened his mouth to respond, to thank her, but he lost all capacity for speech as Marinette lifted his hand and placed her lips against the back in a soft kiss. “There,” she said, sitting up with a smile. “All done. How does it feel?” </p><p>He opened and closed his hand absently, suddenly unable to look away from her face, nor to wipe the sappy smile off his own. “Amazing,” he said finally. </p><p>“Should I do the other hand?” she asked, and Luka froze for an instant. Oh, hell, could he really sit through that again?</p><p>Luka opened his mouth to decline, but his traitor mouth said, “Sure, if you don’t mind.” He sighed at himself as he gave her his other hand. He really was just a glutton for punishment when it came to Marinette.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>25. Wet kisses after finding refuge from the rain.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>25. Wet kisses after finding refuge from the rain.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>“You said it wouldn’t rain!” </p><p>“It’s not my fault you believed me,” he laughs, looking back at her as he pulls her along. </p><p>“Luka!” she complains.</p><p>“Marinette!” he teases back, but he stops when he sees she’s limping, her wet sandals chafing her feet. “Oh, sorry. Come here.” He crouches down and pulls the hand he’s holding to his neck. She pretty much falls onto his back, but he just laughs and draws her arms around his neck before reaching back to hook his arms under her legs. He almost drops her as he stands, because her bare legs are slick from the rain, but she clamps her knees around him and that holds her up long enough for him to get her secured. </p><p>“You are in so much trouble,” she grumbles, but it was right next to his ear and he shuddered before hiking her up one more time and jogging toward the Liberty. </p><p>“I am sorry,” Luka said, trying to muster some sincerity. He <em>was</em> sorry, he was just too happy to<em> look</em> sorry. Happy to be with her, happy that their first date had been going fantastic until the sky opened up on him, happy that she was happy. “I thought we had a good chance that the rain would hold off.” </p><p>“Based on what?” Marinette huffed, her breath warm against his wet neck. “Hope and blind optimism? Faith in the same universe that is continually smacking me down?” </p><p>“Something like that,” Luka chuckled, water splashing all up his calves and over his shoes. </p><p>“You’re getting soaked,” Marinette fretted. </p><p>“So are you,” Luka replied easily. “It’s just water, we’ll be fine.” </p><p>“This is Paris, Luka, I’m pretty sure more than just water is sloshing all up into your shoes right now.”</p><p>Luka laughed. “Probably.” </p><p>Marinette made a frustrated noise and dropped her face down on his shoulder. Luka was grinning all the way back to the Liberty. </p><p>“How,” Marinette grumbled, as he led her below, heedless of the water they were dripping everywhere (“It’s a boat, Marinette.”), “Can you be so cheerful when you’re soaked to the bone?” </p><p>Luka laughed. “If water bothered me I’d be miserable most of my life.” He used he hand he was holding to pull her close, slipping his arm around her waist. “And you’re here, and we’re together,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “How can I be anything but happy?” </p><p>“You’re a sap, Luka Couffaine,” Marinette said flatly, but she was leaning into him and the corners of her mouth was twitching, and when he moved to kiss her she angled to meet him, and her mouth was soft and warm despite how chilled the rest of her was, and he could feel her give into the smile even as she kissed him back.  He cradled her cold face in colder hands, and—  </p><p>There was a quiet thump as something soft hit the back of his head and everything went dark.</p><p>“I don’t need to see this,” he heard Juleka mutter, the breeze of her passing raising goosebumps on his wet arm as she swept by.  </p><p>“Why am I not an only child,” he muttered when he finally managed to claw off the towel she’d thrown over him—over <em>them</em>. He glared around the room, but Juleka clearly knew better than to stick around after that and was nowhere to be seen. “Sorry about that,” Luka sighed, making sure the towel was clean before using a corner to wipe Marinette’s face gently. “I suppose we probably should get dried off.” </p><p>“Yeah,” Marinette sighed, but she was smiling now just like he’d been smiling all day. “I’d like to kiss you without your hair dripping onto my face.” Luka grinned and grabbed the towel out of her hands, throwing it over his hair and rubbing vigorously as Marinette laughed.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>42. Distracting kisses from someone that are meant to stop the other person from finishing their work, and give them kisses instead.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This next batch all got kind of suggestive to one degree or another somehow so I figured I'd put them up in a set.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>42. Distracting kisses from someone that are meant to stop the other person from finishing their work, and give them kisses instead.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>She’s mired in a project, and Luka loves watching her work, but he’s starting to feel a little neglected. He’s gotten nothing but quick kisses and one-word answers for a couple of days now and he’s about at his limit for being ignored in favor of a pile of cloth. </p><p>Of course, once he gets her attention, he has absolutely no complaints. None. Three years into their marriage and she’s just as intoxicating as she ever was to him. Maybe more, because they’ve had time to learn each other. They’ve achieved a level of intimacy that wasn’t possible when they were shy, confused kids, fumbling their way through a relationship that they were both desperately afraid of messing up. Now, there’s no more fear, and while it would be a lie to say there’s no more awkwardness, they’ve learned to roll with it, laugh when they need to, and let it fall away. </p><p>Along with that, in the past three years Luka’s developed a number of strategies for situations just like this one. He’s patient and he understands how many responsibilities she shoulders, how hard she pushes herself, and how busy she is. </p><p>Still, he’s her husband and it’s okay for him to demand a little attention once in a while. He also knows how much she needs him to get her out of her own head sometimes, to bring her focus back to the moment. </p><p>And honestly, he loves everything about being with Marinette, even this. Luka enjoys seducing his wife away from her work probably more than he really should, in fact.</p><p>He waits until she isn’t holding anything sharp and starts with a hug from behind and a quick kiss on her cheek and behind her ear, exhaling lightly against her neck. Marinette shudders and brings one hand up to rest on his arms. He hugs her a little tighter, flexing the arms he left bare on purpose. </p><p>“Luka…” she sighs, though her fingers slide up along his bicep and she turns her head slightly to kiss the swell of muscle. “I’m in the middle of something.” He actually grins a little in satisfaction that she isn’t going to give up too easily. He nuzzles up under her hair and kisses the back of her neck right at her hairline. She scrunches up her shoulders slightly and gasps. She turns her head towards him and he kisses her lips once, twice, before she pulls away. He hasn’t pulled out the big guns yet so she still thinks maybe she can put him off. </p><p>Not happening. He pitches his voice low and velvety smooth, enjoying the way she shivers from the first word. “Baby, come on, you’re always in the middle of something,” he breathes, nuzzling her jaw as he slides one hand down and under her shirt to spread his fingers over her belly, feeling the play of her muscles beneath his palm as she arches slightly. “It’ll be there in the morning.”</p><p>“In the morning?” she gasps in horror. “Luka, I can’t—” </p><p>“Yes you can,” he growls, laying a line of soft, open kisses from the peak of her shoulder to her neck. “I saw your calendar and this project is still green. You can absolutely let me distract you for a few hours and then get a good night’s sleep and come back fresh and very, very relaxed.” He nips lightly at the back of her neck.</p><p>She makes something that he suspects is intended to be a sound of protest but it comes out more like a little whimper. He grins against her skin and unfolds his arms to run his rough hands up her arms to her shoulders, massaging them with just the right amount of pressure. “Oh,” Marinette gasps, leaning into his touch. </p><p>“We can order in for dinner,” he suggests, “And then we can have a nice warm bath before bed.”</p><p>“But…” Marinette bites her lip. He’s almost got her, he can tell. </p><p>“Come to bed with me,” he urges, still in that low, velvety voice that he knew she liked. “I’ll start with your shoulders and work down from there.” Luka leans around and kisses her, slow and deep, and when he pulls back, she lets him take her hands and draw her up out of the chair. </p><p>“Okay,” she sighs, putting her arms around his neck as he lifts her up in his arms. “If you insist.” </p><p>Luka chuckles low as he carries her to the bedroom. “I absolutely insist.”</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>15. A fierce kiss that ends with a bite on the lip, soothing it with a lick.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>15. A fierce kiss that ends with a bite on the lip, soothing it with a lick.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>“Yes!” Luka crowed, throwing his arms up in victory as Marinette yelled in indignation beside him as the words PLAYER 2 WINS flashed across the screen in giant yellow letters. </p><p>“How did you do that?” she demanded, slapping her hands down, one on the arm of the couch and one on his knee, as she turned to glare at him suspiciously.</p><p>Luka folded his arms behind his head and grinned at his adorably irate girlfriend. “A guy can do a lot with the right motivation.” </p><p>Marinette’s eyes narrowed further. Luka just kept grinning. “You can glare at me all you want,” he teased, setting his controller on the end table. He slid his arm around Marinette’s waist and pulled her against his chest. “But I won fair and square and a bet’s a bet, so you better pay up, <em>loser</em>.” </p><p>Marinette growled and grabbed his face, slamming her lips down hard on his, knocking him back into the couch as she pressed into him. Luka flailed for just a moment before grabbing her hips and dragging her into him with a moan that he probably would’ve been embarrassed about, except it was nothing compared to the noise he made when her teeth scraped his lower lip and lit every nerve in his body on fire. Apparently satisfied with her payment (or was it revenge) she gentled slightly, running her tongue over the spot before letting his lip slide from between hers. She pulled away, turning her face when he tried to follow her and ignoring the desperate kisses he planted on her jaw and neck instead. “I want a rematch,” she declared, her determination somehow twice as sexy as usual thanks to her breathless voice. </p><p>Luka blinked at her to clear the haze in his vision and then smirked. “Same stakes?”</p><p>Marinette pursed reddened lips, eyes blazing, dark hair tumbled around her face, and nodded once.</p><p>“You’re so on,” he muttered, groping blindly for the controller.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>44. Tentative kisses given in the dark.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>44. Tentative kisses given in the dark.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>The people who complained about the cinematography in this movie being too dark definitely had a point, Luka thought with some annoyance. They hadn’t really picked this movie; they were out with Marinette’s friends and it had been a group decision. The music was good but other than that, he wasn’t particularly invested. </p><p>It didn’t matter, though. Luka wasn’t invested in the movie but he was absolutely invested in his blossoming relationship with the girl who was currently resting her cheek against his upper arm. Marinette nudged him, and he obligingly lifted his arm and settled it around her shoulders. In the dark he didn’t have to hide the dumb grin that wanted to spread over his face as she snuggled up close against his side, resting her head on his shoulder. Luka dropped a kiss into her hair. She nosed forward so her face was pressed against his neck and let out a contented hum. Her breath across his skin sent a thrill down his spine and a rush of affection surging in his heart. It was early days, he had to keep reminding himself, but Luka was too happy to care much. </p><p>He nearly jolted out of his seat a moment later when he felt her warm lips press into the crook of his neck and shoulder, just past his collar. Marinette froze, and he couldn’t see her wide eyes at the moment he could imagine them. Ignoring the sudden buzzing in his veins in favor of reassuring her, Luka squeezed her shoulder, caressing it lightly with his thumb, and she relaxed a little, though she didn’t move. Luka swallowed, glancing to his other side before darting his eyes away again quickly; Juleka was in no state to be noticing him at all. </p><p>Marinette must have been peeking too because she muffled a giggle against him. Luka chuckled softly, nudging her temple with his nose before lifting his chin in a silent go-ahead. </p><p>He felt the feather light touch of her fingers across his collarbone as she shifted nearer to him and pressed another soft kiss against his neck, then slid her lips higher to do it again. </p><p>Oh that felt <em>amazing</em>. Every nerve in his body was focused on the slow drag of her soft lips against his skin, and he swallowed a moan, fingers tightening on her shoulder. </p><p>She hesitated a moment, lips barely touching him, and he had just enough time to wonder what she was thinking about before she nipped him lightly. </p><p>He didn’t jump quite so high this time but a quiet curse slipped past his lips and he felt Marinette’s shoulders shake with repressed laughter.  </p><p>“Tease,” he murmured, shifting slightly in his seat as she went back to kissing delicately up his neck. </p><p>She placed a kiss just under his ear and her lips brushed the lobe as she whispered, “You like it.” </p><p>“Yeah,” he breathed. God, did he ever. Marinette kissed the hinge of his jaw, and he turned his face slowly towards her as she worked along his jaw until he could finally capture her mouth himself. His aim was slightly off as the screen flicked to a particularly dark shot just at that moment, but they adjusted quickly, exchanging slow, slightly giddy kisses, neither quite sure where the line was in this dark but still very public space. Luka was rapidly beginning to care not at all for the crowd of people around him, but he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. </p><p>When her hand slid across his chest, clearly feeling him up and sending another wave of heat through him, Luka settled for parting his lips and letting her decide whether to retreat or advance. It took a few moments before her tongue shyly flickered into his mouth, and then boldly stroked along his. Any sense of shame left him at that point; he unclenched the hand that had been digging into the armrest and slid it along her jaw, cradling her face to move her to just the right angle where he could kiss the daylights out of her. </p><p>It was fortunate that he was so turned into music because they had lost all track of anything that was happening on the screen and it was only the shift in the soundtrack signalling the credits that made him realize they had better wrap things up. They were absolutely screwed if anyone asked them about the movie, but when the group emerged into the light, Marinette’s hand tightly clasped in Luka’s, a quick glance around at ruffled hair and reddened lips suggested that maybe they weren’t the only ones who had gotten...bored. <em>Teenagers</em>. He lifted a hand to his mouth to cover a snicker as Marinette buried her face in his arm and giggled, and he knew she’d come to the same conclusion and was just as tickled as he was to be among the guilty parties. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and met Juleka’s smirk with a raised eyebrow. She gestured to a spot on her neck and Luka lifted his fingers to his own. They came away smudged with pink. Luka smirked back at his sister and brushed an area on his cheek. Juleka’s eyes widened slightly and her hand flew up to her face. Luka shook his head and pointed to Rose, who was chatting animatedly with Alya, her cheek liberally smeared with lavender. Luka covered another laugh as Juleka flipped him off and went to do damage control.</p><p>“You know,” Marinette said thoughtfully, still clinging onto his arm, “That was the best movie I never saw.” </p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>32. A kiss so passionate, so perfect - that after they part, neither person can open their eyes for a few moments afterwards.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>32. A kiss so passionate, so perfect - that after they part, neither person can open their eyes for a few moments afterwards.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>It took her a while to realize the mask affected him. It was subtle, the shift between Luka and Viperion, not like the stark contrast between Marinette and Ladybug. It wasn’t that he was different, exactly, she gradually realized. It was just the absence of all the little things Luka did to tone down his natural intensity; the way he averted or half-lidded his eyes, muffled his laughter, slouched slightly and dressed in bulky layers that hid the power in his form, the way he diverted half his attention to his guitar so that he wouldn’t overwhelm the people around him. Luka acted with an eye to everyone’s comfort, and he seemed to think he unsettled people, so he kept quiet and toned himself down any way he could.</p><p>Viperion did none of those things. He stood straight, powerful shoulders squared and strong arms crossed over his chest. His green-gold eyes looked directly at the object of his attention, and while he did sometimes strum his lyre as he thought, it didn’t seem to divide his attention the way the guitar did. </p><p>It gave Marinette the shivers, but not in the way Luka seemed to fear it might. She<em> liked </em>that about him. </p><p>She liked it a lot. And she’d spent a lot more time thinking about it lately than was probably wise.</p><p>Maybe that was why she said it. </p><p>A bunch of them were having a picnic in the park, minus Adrien and Kagami but plus Luka, and Marinette wasn’t sure how it got started but she suspected Kim. It was one of those stupid, teenage conversations that almost always made Marinette uncomfortable because whenever it came to a discussion about which of Paris’ heroes one would prefer to make out with, Ladybug’s name came up much too often for her to be comfortable, and it was worse when her friends were involved. She just...didn’t need to know what they thought about her ass in the suit. Or worse.</p><p>“All right, Marinette, you can’t avoid us forever,” Alya declared, with that investigative reporter gleam in her eye. “Spill. Who would it be?” </p><p>Normally she would have refused. She would have complained about the way they objectified the heroes and protested when Alya laughed at her for being a prude. She would have declared that people risking their lives for Paris deserved to do it without being fetishized or fantasized about. </p><p>Today, she just replied, “Viperion,” without hesitation or inflection. She had to force herself not to look at Luka as soon as the name left her lips. She noticed the slight hitch in the tune he was playing, so she knew he’d heard her. </p><p>“Ohh, finally a straight answer,” Alya teased. “And here I thought you had such a soft spot for Chat.”</p><p>Marinette focused on her sandwich, forcing herself to remain calm even as a miniature version of herself flailed around screaming in her mind. “I like Chat well enough,” Marinette shrugged one shoulder. “I think he does a lot of good for the city and he should be recognized. But if you’re asking me who I’d like to have sweep me away from an akuma attack, carry me to my balcony, and kiss me passionately in the moonlight—” She smirked as Luka’s song fumbled and Juleka began to laugh at him. “Viperion. No question.” </p><p>Marinette had no doubt that conversation was on his mind when he found her a few weeks later after a battle that lasted a little too long, stranded on a roof, detransformed and out of cookies. </p><p>She wasn’t even sure how Viperion had known she was there, honestly. She’d been hiding as Chat and Viperion said their farewells. They knew she’d been at the end of her charge and they thought she’d simply gone straight home. Chat had left, and Marinette had expected Viperion to leave as well, but instead he turned and looked directly at the door she was hiding behind like he knew she was there. </p><p>Maybe he did. Nobody was ever sure just how much of what was happening Viperion had seen before. </p><p>Marinette panicked, but not in a useful way. More in the paralyzed, too many options, can’t pick between them kind of way that left her frozen with her mouth open as he swung the door out of the way and gave her a look of fond amusement. “Hello, Marinette,” he said, and she squeaked.  </p><p>Viperion just smiled at her, and offered her a hand. “Can I give you a lift home?” he asked, in his usual gentle, respectful tones, but there was something like a smirk playing at the corners of his lips, and something infinitely more dangerous in his eyes, and Marinette was dead positive he was thinking about her words at the picnic table. He didn’t ask any questions about why she was up on the roof, but then Viperion was Luka, and Luka was <em>Luka</em> and he never asked her questions she might find awkward to answer.</p><p>She put her hand in his and squeaked something that must have been sufficiently affirmative, because he picked her up. </p><p>“Are you sure?” Marinette found the breath to ask as he settled her in his arms. “Don’t you have to, um...go? You can drop me off in the street if you need to.”</p><p>“I’m okay for a little longer,” he told her. “Long enough to get you home. Hold on.” </p><p>Marinette suppressed a shiver, putting her arms around his neck and turning slightly into his body. She felt him take a slow breath, and then he was running. She pressed her face into his neck to keep from being repeatedly knocked into him and held on, enjoying the feel of his warm skin. It wasn’t the smoothest ride, being carried like this, but she felt a thrill every time his grip tightened on her before a leap.</p><p>She admitted to herself that sometimes it was nice to be the one being carried.  </p><p>The bakery wasn’t far and it felt like it took hardly any time to get there, even though she was sure he wasn’t going as fast as he was capable of. He landed amongst the clutter on her balcony with impressive precision, and set her down gently on her feet, keeping his hands on her waist until she was steady. “There you go. Safe and sound.” </p><p>“Thank you,” Marinette smiled up at him, stepping back a bit so she could face him fully. </p><p>“Can’t you thank a guy better than that?” he smirked, and at her look of surprise his own eyes widened. “I mean—I’m sorry, that was inappropriate, I didn’t mean to, um—I should go.” He started to turn away but Marinette was too quick.   </p><p>“No,” she said, catching his face in her palm and turning it back to her. “I’d love to thank you properly, if that’s okay with you. I just...wasn’t sure you’d want, I mean...” She bit her lip and saw his familiar-yet-strange green-gold eyes focus on her mouth with all of that intensity she’d been craving. </p><p>In the back of her mind Marinette wondered how long Luka had wanted to kiss her. She wasn’t entirely sure herself when she had started wanting to kiss him, but she did. She couldn’t kiss <em>Luka</em> though, not yet, not until her heart and her conscience were clear, and maybe she was just splitting hairs, rationalizing between identities, but nothing that happened between Marinette and Viperion here could change things between Marinette and Luka, and maybe just this once she could have her cake and eat it too. </p><p>He moved so slowly that she wasn’t sure he was entirely aware his head was dipping down toward her, but she raised her face and rolled up on her toes a little to meet him, and he captured her lips without hesitation in a kiss that was soft and sweet but not nearly enough. She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down into her, and his strong arms curled tight around her as they shifted to deepen the kiss into something slow and sensual, with a thrilling undercurrent of desire that she felt in the tension of his body and the way he pressed her to him. Marinette felt like the center of the world in his arms, protected and wanted and alive. She threaded her fingers into his hair and tried to put her own feelings into the kiss, to make him understand all the soft feelings she held for him, her affection and her trust and her gratitude, for once to make him feel as wanted and cared for as she always did with him.</p><p>One of his hands smoothed over her back, his grip on her slackening slightly even as the kiss softened and turned achingly tender for just a moment before coming to a natural end. She couldn’t quite bear to open her eyes and let it be over, and she felt Viperion’s forehead lean against her own. “Thank you,” he breathed, and when she finally opened her eyes, his were still closed as he inhaled deeply, hands sliding over her back. </p><p>“That’s my line,” she whispered, and he chuckled. His bracelet beeped, and he sighed. </p><p>“I have to go,” he murmured, eyes finally opening. </p><p>“I know.” </p><p>Viperion breathed in deeply, and then exhaled slowly as he straightened away from her. His hands slid reluctantly from her back, and she watched him tear himself away like it physically pained him. He cupped her cheek in one hand for just a moment before stepping back. He chuckled and looked at the sky for a moment, and if she hadn’t been so attuned to him in that moment she would have missed his quiet mutter, but she was pretty sure she heard him say, “No moonlight, huh?” He turned quickly, though, and leapt away with a brief salute.</p><p>Marinette watched him fade into the twilight dimness, feeling no need to hurry and transform to find him. There was no way he’d make it home on the charge he had left, so he’d have to walk the rest of the way back to the Liberty. She had time to catch him.</p><p>She sighed and raised her fingers to her lips, eyes falling closed as she shivered at the memory. </p><p>Maybe that day of clarity wasn’t as far away as she’d thought. </p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>37. Cleaning the other person’s lips with a lick and a kiss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>37. Cleaning the other person’s lips with a lick and a kiss.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>When Marinette got up on Sunday morning, Luka was already sitting at the kitchen table in just his pajama pants, his hair a wreck of blue sticking up all over the place, eating a leftover pain au chocolate with his eyes glued to an article on his phone. He looked up and smiled as she approached, with that soft, happy look in his eyes like even after being married for six months he was still surprised to see her in the morning.</p><p>“Hey. Hope I didn’t wake you.” </p><p>“Nope,” she sighed, putting her arms around his neck and leaning down to kiss him. “I guess I was just ready to get up. Where’s Sass and Tikki?” </p><p>“Basking in the window I think.” He took another bite of the pastry and a bit of chocolate leaked out. He caught most of it on his tongue, but a little bit lingered on one side of his mouth. He took a sip of his coffee and added, “We don’t have anything to do today until late, so I figured we could all just take it easy this morning.” </p><p>“That sounds perfect,” Marinette agreed, sliding around in front of him. She leaned over and swept her tongue over the chocolate smeared on his bottom lip and kissed him lightly. Luka caught the back of her head, pulling her back, and deciding she might as well be thorough, she sank down in his lap and took his lower lip into her mouth, sucking the last sweetness off of it, before moving to kiss him lazily, letting him taste the chocolate on her tongue and tasting his coffee on his. He made a happy hum in his throat, smoothing his hands up her back as she slid her fingers through his messy hair. Marinette leaned back and smiled in satisfaction, then kissed him lightly twice.</p><p>“You had chocolate on your face,” she told him.</p><p>Luka smirked. “You don’t say.” </p><p>Marinette giggled, shoving his face away as she got off his lap. “Nobody but me knows how conniving you are beneath that laid-back exterior.” </p><p>“Not entirely true,” Luka chuckled. “But definitely the only one I’m trying to get kisses out of.” </p><p>“As if you couldn’t just ask,” Marinette pointed out as she poured herself a cup of coffee. </p><p>“More fun this way,” he chuckled, taking another bite and leaving another smear of chocolate on his face as his eyes twinkled at her.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>30. Weak, sweaty kisses because it’s unbearably hot.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>30. Weak, sweaty kisses because it’s unbearably hot.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>They only made it halfway through patrol before they had to take a break. Viperion and Ladybug lay side by side on the rooftop, panting. </p><p>“It’s so<em> hot</em>,” Ladybug whined. “It’s not supposed to be this hot at <em>night</em>. Why did I ever wish for summer. <em>Why</em>.”  </p><p>“Babe, please,” Viperion nearly whimpered. “Please let’s go home.” He rolled over to his side to hover over her, intending to kiss her into submission, but it was too much work. He ended up flopping on top of her and pressing his lips against her neck above her suit collar.</p><p>“Oh my God, get off,” Ladybug whined, shoving at his shoulder weakly. “My suit’s already sticking to me in very unpleasant ways and you’re not helping. </p><p>“Can’t move. Just let me die here,” Viperion said, nuzzling her. Ladybug sighed, and then he felt her tense under him and the next thing he knew he was flat on his back staring up at the stars. “How do you even have the energy to do that,” he grumbled.  </p><p>“Snakes are supposed to like the heat.” Ladybug flopped back down. </p><p>“I’m not a snake,” he muttered. “I just play one on patrol.” He smiled when she actually laughed weakly. He rolled up on one elbow to look down at her fondly, though he was still trying to figure out how to convince her to give up and go home.  </p><p>A drop of sweat fell from his hair onto Ladybug’s forehead. “Eew,” she complained, raIsing one arm to scrub it off. Viperion snickered, and then moaned as a faint breeze skimmed across the rooftop, only to sigh when it died immediately. </p><p>“I love you and I love how committed you are to this city but there are <em>so</em> many better ways to get this sweaty,” he groaned, kissing her damp cheek. “If there’s anybody out there planning to cause trouble they’ll melt before they get the chance. Please. I’m begging. I’ll do anything you want, just get me out of this heat and out of this suit.” </p><p>“Anything?” Ladybug asked with an attempt at a saucy grin, rolling her head around to look at him. </p><p>“Anything you want,” he promised recklessly. “Hell, as many <em>times</em> as you want, as long as we do it somewhere where there’s air conditioning. Or ice. Ice would be good. Right now making love to you on an iceberg sounds fantastic.” </p><p>“It does <em>not</em>,” Ladybug snorted, pushing herself up on her hands. “And you’re making an awful lot of assumptions. For all you know you just promised to paint the apartment fifteen times.” </p><p>“Yes, that sounds good, let’s do that,” Viperion muttered, leaning his head on her shoulder. “It’ll take you at least two hours in an air conditioned store to pick a color.” </p><p>Ladybug giggled and pressed a kiss to his sweaty turquoise locks. “Okay, fine. You win. Let’s go home.” </p><p>“<em>Thank you</em>,” he sighed, and leaned up to kiss her, but it was too much work to lift his head off her shoulder and he couldn’t aim properly, so he landed on some random patch of clammy skin under her jaw. “We can go home and take a cool shower together and then get sweaty again the fun way.” </p><p>“Making assumptions again,” Ladybug teased, sliding out from under him to get to her feet and offer him a hand. </p><p>“Forever hopeful, that’s me,” Viperion grunted, letting her pull him up. He leaned down and kissed her softly. “Seriously though. Thank you. I thought I had a high tolerance for heat but this is just too much. Clearly living with you has spoiled me.” </p><p>“There was always a breeze on the boat,” Ladybug sighed. “This heat is just so <em>stifling</em>.” </p><p>“Could be worse,” Viperion sighed, and then grinned. “We could be Chat.” </p><p>Ladybug giggled. “That’s mean, Viperion. He can’t help it.”</p><p>“Help what, turning into a leather puddle with cat ears when it’s hot?” Viperion grinned. </p><p>“Shut up and come here, you jerk,” Ladybug giggled, taking out her yoyo. “We’re taking the express way home.” </p><p>“Yes. God, I love you,” Viperion sighed, putting his arms around her. “At least that way we’ll get a breeze.” </p><p>“Hold on tight,” Ladybug advised him. “If you fall I’m not coming back for you.” </p><p>“Always,” he murmured, “And yes, you would.” Ladybug turned her head to kiss him. The idea of going home revived him enough to meet her, but not enough to prolong the kiss when she pulled away. He sighed as she put her arm around his waist and resolved to do better once they got home.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>46. A lingering kiss before a long trip apart.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>46. A lingering kiss before a long trip apart.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>“I’m afraid I’m not doing the right thing,” Marinette says, her hands on Luka’s upper arms, thumb sliding along the curve of his bicep as she looks up at him. “I just feel like I wasted so much time, and then leaving now…” She lets him pull her against him, lets him tuck her under his chin and curl his shoulders around her. </p><p>“It wasn’t a waste,” Luka says, stroking her back, and she closes her eyes and savors the pressure from his big hand, firm enough to feel in her muscles and not just across her skin. “You took the time because you needed it, and it’s been more than worth it for us both to be sure this was what you wanted. I know it seems like we’re having to say goodbye when we’re barely getting started, but we still have plenty of time. So go make your memories. You deserve this. You <em>need </em>this. You’ll come back clear-headed and relaxed and full of new experiences and inspiration. I’m really glad you’re going.” It comes out a little weak, and he clears his throat. “I mean, I’ll miss you, but...I want this for you. I do.” </p><p>Marinette nods, snuggling closer with another shaky breath. He holds her for a minute more, and then puts his hands on her shoulders so that she’ll look up at him.</p><p>“Text me.” He can’t quite hide the hitch in his breath and somehow it makes her heart pound, that little glimpse of how much emotion he’s holding back. “When you get there, I mean. Or anytime, really. Whenever. Just. Text me.” He smiles crookedly. “Text me a lot.” His voice cracks and he winces, a blush rising up his neck. “I’m sorry,” he sighs, shoulders slumping as he blinks rapidly. “I’m sorry, I meant everything I said just now, I swear, it’s just—I will miss you.”</p><p>It oddly makes her feel better, that he’s not as cool as it seems. That maybe he’s cracking on the inside as much as she is. Marinette steps forward and catches his face in his hands and kisses him, softly, and his eyes close and his arms slowly wind around her until he’s holding her tight and close. Not for her comfort, this time, but because it’s what he wants, and that makes her happy, because she thinks that Luka isn’t selfish nearly as often as he should be. She slides her hands back enough to run her fingertips along his earlobes, brushing the earrings that only differ from his usual black studs if one were to look very, very carefully. </p><p>But her fingers tingle with familiar power where they touch the cool metal, and Luka’s earrings are in her own ear, a little larger than she’s used to, but without the buzz of magic that has been her constant companion for years now. </p><p>They all agreed, though, she needs to do this. There’s still danger, but the worst of it has passed, and she needs a little time to just be normal, to remember what it’s like to be Marinette. </p><p>Luka breaks from her lips, but doesn’t move away, whispering only, “I’ll take care of her. I swear she’ll be waiting when you come back. Just like I will.” He hesitates. “I love you. I know it’s probably too soon to say that but I don’t want to regret not saying it if…”</p><p>“If?” she tries to tease. “What do you think is going to happen?”</p><p>Luka chuckles. “I think you’re going to have a wonderful time and see amazing places and come back with a fabulous tan. But, you know, life is uncertain and I just...I don’t want to let you go without making absolutely sure you know how I feel. I love you, and I’ll be waiting for you.” </p><p>Another kiss, and another, and then Marinette’s phone beeps to notify her the taxi is waiting downstairs. </p><p>They separate and both take a shaky breath, and then Luka picks up her bag and threads his fingers through hers. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go to the airport with you?”</p><p>Marinette shakes her head. “Everyone else will be there.” She knows she doesn’t have to say more, that he understands. They are both too raw for an audience right now, and while he could probably pull it together, she isn’t sure she can. It’s why she asked him to see her off here, where they could be alone. </p><p>She knows that he’s right and she needs this trip, that she needs to do something for herself after years and years of giving. Marinette knows Tikki is safe with him; she knows Paris is safe with him. Even so, she hates tearing herself away from him so early in their relationship; she hates that she is making him wait for her yet again. She pauses for just a moment before they go out of the door, and Tikki zips out of Luka’s hood for one last kiss and cuddle. “I hope you have so much fun, Marinette!” she squeals, and then zips out of sight again.</p><p>Luka puts her bag in the back of the taxi, and they stand for a moment awkwardly on the sidewalk, the taxi door open and the driver waiting. Marinette looks up at him and opens her mouth, and then hesitates, and then gives him a shaky smile. “I love you too, Luka. Goodbye.” </p><p>She starts to turn away towards the taxi, but Luka catches her hand and pulls her back, and then his hands are in her hair and his mouth is hot and desperate against hers, his thumbs moving over her cheeks as she catches her fingers in his shirt and they melt together one last time before she goes. Finally, very reluctantly, he lets her slip away. One last squeeze from her hand, and she’s inside, on the first step of her journey. </p><p>Not until he closes the door after her does Luka become aware of the driver leaning on his elbow in the window, grinning at him in the side mirror. “Sorry,” Luka mutters, face heating as he steps back up on the sidewalk.</p><p>“Believe me, I’ve seen worse,” the man chuckles with a wink. “Don’t worry mate, I saw those looks. She’ll be back.” </p><p>Luka smiles, and watches the taxi pull away. When it’s out of sight he sighs deeply and murmurs, “Well. Guess it’s just you and me.” He feels a light touch on the back of his neck as Tikki pats him from where she hides in the folds of his hoodie.</p><p>“It’ll be okay,” Tikki chirps. “You’ll see.”</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>17. Tucking their hands beneath the other person’s shirt, just to watch them break the kiss and gasp in surprise at the sensation of cold/warm hands on their skin.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b> <em>17. Tucking their hands beneath the other person’s shirt, just to watch them break the kiss and gasp in surprise at the sensation of cold/warm hands on their skin.<br/></em> </b>
</p><p>Luka covered his mouth with his hand and looked down at his adorable girlfriend, trying very hard not to just blurt out the first thing that came out of his mouth.</p><p>He failed. “Marinette, no.”</p><p>Her head snapped up and she stared at him. “What did you say?”</p><p>Oh God, he was in it now, but he might as well die like a man. “Marinette, you can’t buy that, it’s hideous. You know I love everything you do and I have complete faith in your abilities, but just—you can’t be serious about buying that.”</p><p><em>That</em> was a bolt of lime green fabric so bright Luka expected it to glow in the dark. He didn’t mind bright colors, really, but there was <em>bright</em> and there was <em>eye-searing</em> and this fabric was well beyond the latter and into <em>could cause blindness on sight </em>territory. And he couldn’t believe that even Marinette’s genius designer brain could make that work. He sighed. </p><p>“Marinette you know I love you but I can’t in good conscience let you get that.”</p><p>“Excuse me,” Marinette said, her eyes narrowing up at him. “Which one of us is a fashion designer and which one of us is constantly begging me to patch his increasingly ancient hoodie back together?” </p><p>“Marinette, you haven’t slept more than a few hours at a time in days,” Luka reminded her. “Please, just...put it down. I know it wasn’t on your list. After this deadline is done with and you’ve had some sleep you can come look at it again and then if you still want it I won’t stop you.”</p><p>“You’re not stopping me now, Luka Couffaine,” Marinette insisted, putting her hands on her hips, and normally he loves her fire, but honestly he was pretty worried about her at this point and the bright green monstrosity she still stubbornly clutched under one arm just made him more convinced she needed a break. </p><p>“Marinette, please,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and squeezing lightly. “You’re exhausted. It’s late. We nearly froze to death getting here and we’re going to freeze again getting home. You know I’m all about spontaneity and going with your gut but this is not the time to be making—” He paused to rethink his wording. “Impulsive decisions. Get the stuff on your list, and nothing else, and then please, please take a break.” </p><p>Marinette sighed, and swayed into him. He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. “That’s it, just relax for a minute,” he told her, stroking her back. She was still chilled from the walk over here for the supplies she insisted were necessary. She turned her face up to him and he bent down and kissed her. She leaned into him and he had one second of hope that maybe he’d convinced her— </p><p>Two blocks of ice masquerading as Marinette’s hands suddenly slipped under his shirt and grabbed onto his sides, and he gasped and jumped backwards away from her without thinking. “What the—” He cut off as Marinette ran, cackling, for the cutting table, slamming that horrible bolt of fabric down on it and dictating yardage while shooting him a triumphant and slightly vindictive grin.</p><p>Luka sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Well, he did his best. And really, maybe she wasn’t as badly off as he thought if she was still able to be devious and evil. </p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>19. One person stopping a kiss to ask “Do you want to do this?”, only to have the other person answer with a deeper, more passionate kiss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>19. One person stopping a kiss to ask “Do you want to do this?”, only to have the other person answer with a deeper, more passionate kiss.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>He hadn’t exactly meant to. They were standing in the bow of the Liberty, leaning their elbows on the rail, so close Marinette’s arm pressed up against his, but she didn’t seem to mind so he wasn’t about to move. She’d shown up unexpectedly with a box of his favorite macarons, pretty as could be in a little retro-styled red dress she’d made herself, and it was good that Luka hadn’t had anything he needed to do because he would have dropped it in a heartbeat. They’d been talking all afternoon, and now the sun was setting and the water in front of them was sparkling with reflected light. Luka had turned towards her as he lowered his head and leaned in to make a joke, and now she was laughing and happy and beautiful and impulsively he closed the last bit of distance between them and kissed her right on her smiling lips. </p><p>Luka hadn’t exactly <em>meant</em> to, but the spike of terror that went through him was quickly eased as she shifted into him and kissed him back shyly. He breathed her in and savored her soft, warm lips, laying his fingers lightly against her cheek. Luka felt a little guilty for springing this on her, knew he should have done things differently, but part of his heart that was desperate for any scrap of her affection took comfort in this, that even if she freaked out afterward, she cared for him enough to get caught up in the moment and let him kiss her. He kissed her again, a little more urgently, and she responded just as readily. </p><p>After the third kiss he paused, pulling back just slightly, and it took a moment for her to open her eyes and blink at him, clearly surprised that he had stopped. “Do you want to do this?” he asked, waiting for realization to hit her and for her to back away from him. Instead, Marinette blinked again with that same surprise, and then her expression softened into something that made his heart leap and his breath catch. When she reached up to take his face in her hands and pulled him back down into her, there was nothing shy or tentative, nothing <em>unsure</em>, no hesitation in the way her mouth claimed his. Luka’s arms went around her without thought, and he braced one hand on the rail behind her to keep them from overbalancing as her hands slid back from his face to clasp behind his neck. </p><p>Distantly, he registered whistles and shouts from the shore, but he only shifted to block Marinette a little from view. He laughed into their kiss when he felt Marinette lift a hand away from her and realized she was giving a thumbs up to their audience. </p><p>“Why do I get the feeling I’ve been set up?” he asked her, when he could bear to part with her lips for a moment.</p><p>“You don’t get to tease me after ruining all my plans,” she told him, twining the string of his hoodie around one finger. “I was supposed to kiss you, jerk.”</p><p>Luka laughed. “I’m not sorry,” he murmured, putting his forehead against hers.</p><p>“Good,” she smiled, running a finger along his jaw. “Me neither.”</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>29. Staring at each other’s lips for a moment before moving closer, as if drawn together by some unseen force.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>29. Staring at each other’s lips for a moment before moving closer, as if drawn together by some unseen force.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>It was strange, patrolling with someone other than Chat, but Chat was out of town and Luka had the most freedom in his schedule, so tonight Viperion ran beside Ladybug. He kept up surprisingly well, all things considered, and they ended up at the Eiffel Tower, looking out at the lights of the city from the shadows between the girders. </p><p>It felt quiet, without Chat’s usual teasing. He’d mellowed some over the years but he still had a tendency to chatter. Viperion was humming very quietly, but that was it. Ladybug leaned forward a little to look at him. </p><p>“What are you thinking about so hard?” she asked him teasingly. </p><p>“Nothing,” Viperion smiled, turning his head to look at her, the distant expression melting away as he focused on her. “Just thinking about a girl. Lame, right?” </p><p>“Not lame,” Ladybug said, smiling at him. She came up beside him and leaned on his shoulder. “Is this a friend girl, or a more than friends girl?” </p><p>“Mm, an out of my league kinda girl,” he replied, still smiling.</p><p>“That can’t be true,” Ladybug protested. “Viperion, you’re a great guy! It’s part of why I chose you.”</p><p>Viperion didn’t bother to argue. “She’s not the type of girl who’s swayed by greatness. Not this kind, anyway,” he gestured to himself. “The famous kind, I mean. Can’t exactly ask her what she thinks about the whole superhero thing.” He winked at her, and Ladybug giggled. “But, ah, she’s so sweet and so kind. She’s always going out of her way to help others even though she’s incredibly busy.” He sighed, staring dreamily at the lights once more. Viperion slipped his lyre from his back, drawing his fingers idly across the strings. “She’s so smart,” he said, his fingers moved automatically to a melody that sounded vaguely familiar, though the sound of the lyre was still foreign to her compared to Luka’s familiar guitar. “She doesn’t always have a lot of confidence but there’s no one I’d rather have in charge in a crisis. She thinks on her feet. She’s resourceful.” Viperion’s song grew a little more aggressive as he remembered that day at the studio. </p><p>“Is she pretty?” Ladybug asked, folding her arms and shifting her weight to the pillar he was leaning on so that he could move his arm freely. </p><p>“She’s so much more than pretty,” Viperion chuckled. “I mean, yes, I think she’s pretty. She’s got the sweetest smile and her eyes…but she’s also vibrant and alive and...there’s just something in her that—” He paused playing and put his hand over his heart. “I don’t know, it just speaks to me.”</p><p>“It sounds like you’re in looove,” Ladybug sing-songed, nudging him. “You should tell her.”</p><p>“I...tried, once,” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “Years ago, actually, in my usual, complicated way. But,” Viperion sighed, “I mostly did it because I wanted her to know how special she was. She was in love with somebody else, so I had to accept that and we stayed friends.” </p><p>“Oh, Viperion,” Ladybug said sadly, straightening up so she could face him. </p><p>He stowed the lyre and took his weight off the wall, folding his arms. “Yeah. It’s all right. I wanted her to be happy. I couldn’t even hate the guy, he was nice. Maybe not ready to be in a relationship, though. They got together for a while, but it didn’t last, and now...” He shook his head slightly. “Now I don’t know what to think. I’m still as in love with her as I ever was, but…you’d think, if she wanted me, she would have said something by now. She has to know how I feel, so…” </p><p>Ladybug looked away, something sad and regretful in her gaze. “Maybe she thinks it’s too late. I mean, how many guys would wait around that long for a girl? Especially someone like—” she darted a guilty look at him, and he smiled to himself. “S-someone who probably has lots of other options.”  </p><p>“Mm, that’s true,” Viperion chuckled, unfolding his arms and leaning back again. “She doesn’t think very highly of herself, I’m afraid. I could be saying all this to her face and she’d still think I meant someone else.” </p><p>Ladybug giggled. “Are you sure that’s a girl you want to be chasing?” </p><p>“Definitely,” he replied without hesitation, his eyes taking on that faraway look again. “She’s brave and selfless and caring, and there’s not a single person like her anywhere in the world.” He smiled at his feet. “Believe me, I looked.”  </p><p>Ladybug smiled, caught in the dreamy way he stared at the metal in front of his feet. “I think I like it when you talk about her. You look like she makes you happy and that’s nice to see. What else?”</p><p>Viperion tilted his head to look up at her in a way that was very familiar and very Luka. The last time she’d seen that look they’d been barely more than kids, as he sat astride his bike in front of her parents’ bakery with his guitar across his thighs, the strings still vibrating as the last of his song for her faded away. Her heart began to pound. </p><p>“She looks good in red,” he said softly. “Although honestly, I prefer the pink.” </p><p>“Still?” she whispered, more shocked by that than the revelation that he knew who she was. His eyes went to her lips, which were suddenly trembling. “Even after she was so stupid for so long?” </p><p>“She followed her heart,” he shrugged, a small smile tugging at his mouth as he turned towards her, shoulder still leaning on the pillar. “That’s not stupid, it’s admirable. Just because it didn’t turn out doesn’t mean it was foolish. If things not working out with your first love makes someone stupid, then there’s a lot, and I mean a lot, of really dumb people walking around Paris. That’s what second chances are for, isn’t it?” </p><p>“Well I guess...you would know, huh?” she tried to joke, weakly, because he was still staring at her lips and she was suddenly having a very hard time looking away from his. She was startled at how close they were—she wasn’t sure whether she had moved toward him or he had shifted towards her. Maybe both. </p><p>“I’ve had some experience, yeah,” he replied, that smile quirking his mouth a little more. </p><p>“So...you could teach me?” she breathed, inching closer. </p><p>“I think you’ve already learned the important things.” His head dipped towards her and his bangs brushed her forehead. </p><p>“Maybe,” she agreed. “Like, not being afraid to take that second chance?” </p><p>“Are you?” Viperion asked, gaze flickering between her lips and her eyes.</p><p> “Not with you,” she whispered, still focused on his mouth. </p><p>Neither of them could have said who moved first, but it hardly mattered. Once their lips met they melted together it didn’t matter at all who had started it, who had been waiting and who had been unsure, who had traveled the world trying to move on and who had been stuck in Paris wishing he hadn’t. It only mattered that they were in the same place at last, holding the same feelings. All that mattered was their lips moving together, their arms wound around each other, the tiny gasps for air they made as they tried to keep it from ending. When they had to break at last they stayed close, foreheads pressed together, his hands on the small of her back and hers against his chest. </p><p>“You know when I imagined doing that it was always without the mask,” Viperion said, running his thumb along the bottom of Ladybug’s mask. </p><p>“Really?” Ladybug giggled. “When I imagined it there was sometimes the mask.”</p><p>“It’s the fangs, isn’t it,” he grinned, winking. “The ladies love the fangs.” </p><p>They both laughed quietly together. Ladybug laid her head against his shoulder as she giggled and Viperion wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Are we done with patrol?” he asked softly. “Because as much as I enjoy seeing the city with you...there’s someone I’d really like to take out tonight.”</p><p>“What if she wants to stay in?” Ladybug asked, reaching up to play with a lock of hair at his temple. </p><p>“I’m sure I could be persuaded,” Viperion chuckled. “I was never very good at saying no to her anyway. I was hoping to meet up with her in, say, half an hour?” </p><p>“You’d better get going then,” Ladybug chided him. </p><p>“Right.” He cupped her face in one gloved hand, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. “Good night, Ladybug. I’ll see you soon.” </p><p>She smiled, and he let his hand fall and began to turn away. Then he hesitated, pivoted back, and caught her around the waist, leaning in to kiss her one more time. Ladybug rose up on her toes gladly to meet him. </p><p>“Okay,” he breathed as they separated. “Maybe I thought about it once or twice in the mask.”</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>38. Whispering “I love you” before a chaste, delicate kiss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>38. Whispering “I love you” before a chaste, delicate kiss.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>Luka’s never liked hospitals much but he’s so high after his appendectomy that he doesn’t even care that the nurse left an interview with XY on the TV. Really, most of the day has been a blur. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows he let things go too long and suffered through it until he passed out at band practice and Really Bad Stuff almost happened, but it doesn’t seem important at the moment. Except that he’s really glad they let Juleka in to yell at him before they started cutting back on the morphine. </p><p>Even on the reduced dosage he’s still pretty heavily drugged up when Marinette comes in, so the smile on his face is even dopier than usual. “Hey,” he murmurs, blinking slowly. “Hi. You look pretty.” He giggles a little at the blush that comes up on her face.</p><p>“I just came straight from school,” she says, unconsciously straightening her clothes.</p><p>“You’re always pretty,” he slurs, smile widening. “‘Specially when you blush.” </p><p>Marinette’s lips purse as she tries to contain her smile and he stares shamelessly at her mouth. “Juleka said they were letting you have visitors, but no real food yet, so I didn’t bring you anything. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Nothin’ sweeter ‘n you anyway,” he mumbles with another slow blink, gazing up at her adoringly. </p><p>“You’re corny when you’re on drugs,” she tells him, but she’s smiling fondly and that made him grin. </p><p>“You love me,” he says happily. </p><p>“Yeah,” she giggles, and leans down close to him. “I love you,” she sighs, before kissing him lightly and nuzzling his cheek. “Even if you are an idiot who didn’t tell anybody he’s been sick and in pain.”</p><p>“Love you too,” he sighs, still smiling. </p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>11. Morning kisses that are exchanged before either person opens their eyes, kissing blindly until their lips meet in a blissful encounter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>11. Morning kisses that are exchanged before either person opens their eyes, kissing blindly until their lips meet in a blissful encounter.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>Marinette groaned. She didn’t know what time it was but she was sure it was too early to be awake. She shoved Luka, and then squirmed up against him, pressing her face into his back.</p><p>“Mmm?” Luka grunted without opening his eyes. “S’up?” </p><p>“It’s cold,” she whined. “You stole the blankets again.”</p><p>“Sorry,” he sighed, rolling towards her, dragging the blankets with him to wrap her up close.</p><p>“You’re a terrible bed partner,” she griped, sticking cold feet between his calves and burying her face in the crook of his neck. “Want a divorce.” </p><p>“Don’t be like that, baby,” he mumbled into her hair. “Slept alone for a long time. ‘Sides it’s only been a month, I’ll get better.” </p><p>Marinette snorted, but relaxed, enveloped in his warmth and his scent. She laid a kiss against his neck and he hummed happily, kissing the top of her head. Marinette raised her head to kiss his jaw and he hummed again, kissing her forehead, and then landed one between her eyes that she was pretty sure he intended for her nose. She giggled and tilted her head back to kiss his chin, and that gave him enough reference to find her mouth with his in a lazy kiss that shouldn’t have affected her as much as it did. He felt her arch against him and smirked against her mouth.</p><p>“Besides,” he mumbled, between kisses along her jaw and behind her ear. “You know I’m good at other things.” He started in on her neck and Marinette bit back a moan, eyes finally opening for just a moment before fluttering shut again.</p><p>“Fine, you can stay,” she sighed, tilting her head to give him better access. “But you’d better learn to do the damn dishes right or you’re out, Couffaine.” His rough, low morning chuckles against her skin made her shiver as much as his gentle nibbling at her collarbone.</p><p>“Sure, baby, whatever you say.”</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>33. An unexpected kiss that shocks the one receiving it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>33. An unexpected kiss that shocks the one receiving it.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>She was watering her plants on her balcony when she suddenly heard her name screamed in a very familiar voice—one of a very few that she knew of that could have reached her up here, but also one of the least likely to be raised to that level.</p><p>“Luka?” she muttered, going to her balcony and peering down. She saw him waving frantically, and then he darted across the street. “Luka!” she screeched as he dodged cars with the kind of recklessness she knew he’d inherited from his mother but rarely saw him give into. “You idiot, what are you—” Even as she scolded him, not that it was likely he could hear her, especially with her voice gone all high and shrieky with fear, he made it across the street, sprinted up to the bakery, and began climbing up the drainpipe as easily as if it were one of the ropes in the Liberty’s rigging. “Oh my—” Marinette’s hands grabbed at her pigtails in distress. “You idiot! You’re going to get hurt what are you thinking, oh my God, Luka, what is the matter with you!” She let go of her hair to grab at his arms and help him over the railing of the balcony, not that he needed it.</p><p>The second his feet hit the balcony deck, hers left it as he swept her up in a hug that was way too strong for someone who had just climbed up four stories. </p><p>“Idiot, put me down, what are you thinking?” Marinette screeched, but Luka just laughed breathlessly in her ear. </p><p>“I got it,” he told her, still laughing as he finally let her fall to her feet, and he leaned back against the railing. “Marinette, I got the gig!”   </p><p>“Wait, what?” Marinette’s eyes widened, and she grabbed his hoodie, pulling him down. “Are you serious?”</p><p>“Did you not see me climb up the building like a crazy person?” he asked, breaking down laughing again. “Of course I’m serious! I was so pumped after they called that I had to tell somebody and your place was closest. I ran all the way here.” He paused. “I should probably go back and get my bike, huh? I left it chained to the rack outside of Miller’s Music.”</p><p>“Luka—you—” Marinette could only laugh, and before she knew what she was doing she kissed him hard on the mouth. It was impulsive, it was stupid, and—she didn’t care. She didn’t care that they’d only been on a couple of dates and that every time he looked like he might kiss her she had ducked her head and looked away. She wanted to kiss him <em>now</em>. All the breath whooshed out of him when she broke the kiss. “You idiot,” she mumbled just short of his shocked lips. “Your entire family is absolutely insane, you realize that?” </p><p>“Fuck,” Luka muttered, awed. “This is a dream, isn’t it? It’s not re—”</p><p>Still gripping the front of his hoodie, Marinette kissed him again, firmly though not quite so hard this time, and he made a small noise in a register she didn’t even think he could hit. Then his arms went around her and he kissed her back with all the ferocity of the adrenaline high he was still riding. </p><p>It didn’t last as long as either of them would have liked as Luka was still pretty out of breath. </p><p>“So are you going to go back and get your bike,” Marinette teased, licking reddened lips as she stared at his.</p><p>“In a minute,” he panted, and apparently deciding oxygen was overrated, he bent to kiss her again.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>13. Butterfly kisses against the other’s cheeks.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>13. Butterfly kisses against the other’s cheeks.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>“Lukaaaaaa.” </p><p>Luka jumped as Marinette’s arms came around his neck. “Oh, hey.”</p><p>“Oh, hey,” she mimicked. “I’ve been calling your name for like ten minutes.” </p><p>Luka snorted softly, not because he would have noticed if she had been there for ten minutes but because he knew there was no way she could wait ten minutes if she wanted his attention. “Sorry,” was all he said, though, his mind still mostly on the music he’d been working on. “Did you need something?”</p><p>“I brought you dinner,” Marinette told him, </p><p>He turned his face and kissed her cheek lightly. “Thank you.”</p><p>“It won’t do you any good if you don’t eat it.”</p><p>“I’ll eat it,” he promised, head bobbing slightly as he tried out the melody he had so far.</p><p>“When your hands don’t stop moving I know that you’re lying,” Marinette singsonged. </p><p>“I will!” he protested.</p><p>“Eventually.</p><p>“It counts.” </p><p>Marinette peppered kisses across his cheek, leaning her weight into him until he had to drop the leg he’d had crossed under his guitar to put a foot on the floor so the two of them didn’t both topple over onto the floor. </p><p>“All right, all right,” Luka laughed, reaching one hand up to grab her forearm around his neck. “All right, I’ll come eat.” He nuzzled into her cheek and kissed it, and Marinette turned her head so he could kiss her lips. “Thanks for bringing me dinner.” </p><p>“Someone has to make sure you eat,” she teased. “Otherwise, I might starve to death the next time I go on a design bender.” </p><p>Luka chuckled. “I love that we have such a balanced relationship.” </p><p>“You still haven’t put the guitar down,” Marinette reminded him. </p><p>“You’re still hanging off my neck,” Luka pointed out, and Marinette let him go. Luka lifted the guitar over his head and put it back in its stand, and then grabbed Marinette’s hand, kissing her cheek one more time. “Welcome home, by the way. Please tell me you didn’t get pizza.”</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>21. A chaste kiss given to each other because they are in mixed company.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>21. A chaste kiss given to each other because they are in mixed company.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>To think there was a time when he would have given and arm and a leg to meet Jagged Stone (well, maybe not his <em>own</em> arm, because he needed it to play guitar, but definitely a leg and maybe one of Juleka’s arms). </p><p>Suffice it to say a lot had changed since then. Now Luka wanted to be just about anywhere that was <em>not </em>on the plush couch in Jagged’s suite at Le Grand Paris, listening to him wax poetic about his favorite young fashion designer.</p><p>Luka put his hands over his face and tried to summon the last of his rapidly waning patience. It really was true that nobody could get to you like family, even if you’d only known they were family for a couple of years now. Luka was torn between breaking down in uncontrollable laughter and strangling the man with his own guitar.</p><p>“Jagged,” Luka tried again, dropping his hands. “This really isn’t necessary.”</p><p>“Now, hang on, hang on, wait until you meet her before you start naysaying,” Jagged told him, wagging a finger. “Listen, Luka I know you’ve probably dated some decent girls—you’re my son after all—” </p><p>“We never did get that genetically confirmed.”</p><p>“—but believe me when I say you have never met a girl like this one, so you just leave this to me. Trust me, you’ll love her. A girl like this doesn’t come along every day.”</p><p>Luka rolled his eyes. “Do you ever actually listen to anything I say, or is it all just white noise to you?” he asked, genuine annoyance beginning to win out over horrified amusement.</p><p>There was a knock on the door and Penny answered it, greeting the dark-haired young woman beyond. </p><p>“Mari!” Jagged exclaimed, racing to envelop her into an enthusiastic hug. Luka’s irritation kicked up several notches. </p><p>“Hi Jagged,” Marinette laughed, patting his arm gingerly. “It’s good to see you too.” </p><p>“Listen, Mari, there’s somebody here I really want you to meet,” Jagged said gleefully, dragging Marinette forward with him and putting his hands on her shoulders to point her at Luka. </p><p><em>Subtle</em>, Luka thought wryly, but he stood up and smiled. </p><p>“Oh, Luka, you’re here! This is a nice surprise,” Marinette beamed, coming forward to meet him. </p><p>“Hi Marinette,” Luka said, feeling his own face soften into that stupid soft grin Marinette always seemed to inspire. He took the hands she stretched towards him and greeted her with a bise, but to everyone’s surprise, he followed it up by bending down to kiss her lips lightly. Her face lit up in a blush and she giggled, her eyes flicking to Jagged. Luka put his arm around her shoulders as he faced them both towards the suddenly flabbergasted (and for once blessedly <em>silent</em>) rock star. “I was just trying to tell dear old dad that I don’t need him setting me up with women because <em>I already have a girlfriend</em>.” </p><p>Jagged’s mouth dropped open in shock, and so did Marinette’s, though hers was in outrage.</p><p>“Set you up?” she demanded. “With who?”</p><p>“With you, babe,” Luka laughed. </p><p>“Oh,” Marinette blinked. “Well. I suppose that’s okay then.” She giggled and rose up on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth. “He’s a little late though.” </p><p>“I was trying to tell him that,” Luka began, and then broke off when he looked back at his estranged father. “Oh, hell,” he muttered. Jagged was looking back and forth between the two of them, his hands curling into fists in front of his face, and Luka winced at the growing excitement in the rock star’s expression. “Oh, here it comes,” Luka groaned, and sure enough, a high-pitched and very un-rock-’n-roll squeal erupted from Jagged’s mouth as he began to jump up and down. “How am I related to this guy?” he mumbled, hiding his face in Marinette’s hair. </p><p>Jagged tackled them both before Marinette could answer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>35. An awkward kiss given after a first date.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>35. An awkward kiss given after a first date.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>“Okay,” Luka chuckled as they strolled along. “You know tradition isn’t a big thing for me but this still feels kind of backwards. I should be walking you home.”</p><p>“Nope.” Marinete shook her head. “I asked you out. That means I plan the date, I pay for the date, and I walk you home afterwards.”</p><p>“Says who?” Luka chuckled, swinging their linked hands slightly. Truth be told, he was on over the moon just to be on a date with Marinette at all, and her insistence on treating him like a princess instead of the other way around was completely adorable. She hadn’t even let him bring his guitar, so intent was she on making sure he couldn’t make any grand romantic gestures and turn the night around on her. She insisted that this one night be all about him. </p><p>Luka really couldn’t say he minded being wooed and fussed over—as if there were any need to woo him, as if he hadn’t been head over heels for her for almost two years now—but he was absolutely going to go all out when she finally did let him plan a date. He sighed to himself when the lights of the Liberty came into view. </p><p>“Would you like to come aboard for a bit?” he asked, when they finally wandered up to the boat. “Hang out on deck?” </p><p>“I’d love to but I actually do have a curfew tonight,” Marinette sighed, and Luka blinked.</p><p>“Right,” he said, feeling a little stupid. “Of course. Because normal parents have things like curfews.” They both giggled at that, and Luka turned to face Marinette and wrapped his hands around hers. “I had so much fun tonight, Marinette. “Honestly you really went overboard with the concert tickets and the dinner, I woud’ve been happy eating pizza on a park bench as long as it was with you—” He paused and bit his lip to keep his smile under control as she began to pout at his lack of appreciation for her plans. “But I’m definitely not complaining. Everything we did tonight was amazing, I had a ton of fun, and I’m really hoping we can go out again. Soon.” He squeezed her hands. “Really soon.”  </p><p>“Thank you for going out with me, Luka,” she smiled up at him, and his knees went a little weak. </p><p>“Well, you know, it was kind of a hard decision, I had so many other things I could’ve been doing tonight, but…” he joked weakly, and then gave up trying to play it off, knowing that his lovestruck expression was giving him away. It was unfair how cute she was. “There was nowhere else I’d rather be.” </p><p>“Me neither,” she said, with a simple sincerity that made his heart jump...because he believed her. </p><p>For a moment they just stood gazing at each other.</p><p>“Well...I guess...I better let you go,” Luka said, letting her hands start to slide out of his. </p><p>“Wait!” Marinette cried, eyes going wide as her hands tightened on him. “We’re not done yet!”</p><p>Luka blinked. “We’re not?”</p><p>“Well, I mean...we a-are, or I guess we can be, but I guess I was—I was hoping…” She began to blush, worrying her lower lip, and suddenly unable to meet his gaze. He squeezed her hands a little tighter as he began to realize what she was talking about, but before he could say anything she burst out, “Can I kiss you? Goodnight. I mean, can we, um...argh.” She pulled her hands free to cover her face, and Luka couldn’t help laughing, though he tried to cover it. Marinette peeked through her hands and giggled too. </p><p>“I would love a goodnight kiss,” Luka finally managed to say, catching her hands again. Both trying to choke back their giggles, he leaned down and she rolled up on her toes and their lips collided.</p><p>It wasn’t awful, he was still kissing Marinette, but their lips were tense and tight, and Marinette had come up on her toes with a bit too much momentum, so she lost her balance, and they both started giggling again. “I’m sorry,” Marinette laughed, covering her face again. “Luka I tried so hard tonight but I’m so bad at this!” </p><p>“Marinette,” Luka shook his head, laughing, and tugged her hands away from her face. “You’re fine, it was fine, but I’ve wanted to kiss you way too long to leave it like that. May I?” </p><p>Marinette let him pull her hands away and nodded, though her face was flaming. He tugged her hands to pull her closer and then cupped her face in both hands, kissing her lips lightly, and then again, waiting until she relaxed before really kissing her the way he wanted to. “Much better,” he sighed, caressing her cheek before he let her go. “Good night, Marinette. Are you sure you don’t want me to walk you home?” </p><p>“Who says I’m walking?” Marinette laughed, throwing her arms around him. “Maybe I’ll just fly,” she mumbled into his chest, and then, a little quieter, “Thank you, Luka.”</p><p>“I didn’t do anything. You wouldn’t let me,” he chuckled. </p><p>Marinette shook her head, her face still hidden. “You made it easy. Everything is always hard, but you...you make it easy. To be brave.” </p><p>She was going to kill him, being so sweet. Luka didn’t know what to say, so he just hugged her tighter. After a moment she pulled back and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Goodnight, Luka.” </p><p>“Goodnight Marinette. Thanks for taking me out.” He let his hands slide down her arms as she backed away, and watched her go, pretending not to notice when she tripped over air trying to wave back at him. </p><p>As soon as she was out of sight he darted up the gangway and ran for his room. He really needed his guitar.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>28. One person tracing the other’s lips with a fingertip until they can’t resist any longer, tilting their chin towards them for a kiss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>28. One person tracing the other’s lips with a fingertip until they can’t resist any longer, tilting their chin towards them for a kiss.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>He shut his phone alarm off quickly and laid still for a moment, but Marinette’s breathing didn’t change. Luka let out a sigh of relief and slipped out of the bed, tucking the blankets around her carefully. </p><p>He wasn’t moving especially quickly but he was still ready to go much sooner than he wanted to be. Luka stood by the bed and sighed, looking down at his wife. He didn’t want to wake her, she was already so tired as it was...but he’d promised to say goodbye. Mostly because it was the only way he could convince her not to go to the airport with him.</p><p>Luka sat down on the bed and ran his fingers gently through her hair, spreading it out across the pillow. When that didn’t work, he said her name softly and cupped her face in his hand and rubbed his thumb gently over her soft cheek. She turned her face into his touch, but her eyes stayed closed. </p><p>Luka hummed quietly, and then a little louder, still moving his hand over her face, and finally Marinette’s lashes fluttered and her eyes opened. She took a deep breath, and rolled over on her back. </p><p>“Hey, sleepyhead,” Luka chuckled. </p><p>“Time is it?” she asked, blinking slowly. </p><p>“Time for me to go,” he murmured, stretching out beside her and propping his head up on his hand. </p><p>That brought sense to her eyes, and her lower lip poked out in a pout. </p><p>“I know,” Luka smiled, stroking her pouting lip with his thumb. “But if I don’t go now I’ll miss my flight. And you know I already don’t want to go, so if that happens I’m likely to just quit, and we agreed it wasn’t a good time.” </p><p>“Right,” she sighed, blinking still-heavy lids. “It won’t be for long,” she murmured, and he moved his hand to trace her lips with his index finger. </p><p>“It won’t be,” he agreed. “Even if it feels like too long. You’ll call your dad or Adrien if you need help with anything? No heavy lifting, not even for a minute, don’t forget.” </p><p>“I’ll call,” Marinette promised, pursing her lips to kiss his fingertip. </p><p>“Don’t get mad at Juleka when she comes by. I asked her to.” </p><p>Marinette rolled her eyes. “Of course you did.” </p><p>“I just want her to check on you and make sure you’re not overdoing things.” </p><p>“Mm-hmm.” </p><p>“I’m only fussing because I love you,” he reminded her, stroking her suddenly tight lips until they softened into a smile.</p><p>“I know,” she sighed, tilting her chin up. “I love you too.” Luka bent down and kissed her, his hand sliding down under the sheets to rest over the still-small bump of her belly. </p><p>“I love you both,” he sighed, and kissed her again slowly, savoring her soft lips and the quiet hum of contentment she made. “I really have to go,” he sighed, straightening. “I’ll call you when I—What are you doing?” He frowned as Marinette began to struggle out from under the blankets. “You weren’t supposed to get up.”</p><p>“I have to pee,” she grunted, getting loose, and Luka chuckled.</p><p>“Of course you do,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head as he stood up and went to steady her, though she really didn’t need any help yet.</p><p>“At least it means I can get a real hug,” she mumbled. Luka opened his arms and wrapped her up tight as she came to him. He pressed his face into her hair and kissed the top of her head. Then Marinette was shoving him away, cursing softly as she turned to pad quickly toward the bathroom. “I love you,” he called after her one last time.</p><p>“I love you too!” she called back. “Text me when you get to the airport!”</p><p>“I will.” Luka left the bedroom and picked up his guitar and suitcase in the hall by the door. “Sass. Time to go.” </p><p>“Coming,” the kwami sighed, and floated, pouting, into Luka’s pocket. He wasn’t any happier about this trip than Luka was. “Let’ssss get thisss over with.” </p><p>“Bye Luka!” Tikki waved. </p><p>“Take care of her for me, Tikki. Make sure she calls Tom if she needs help! And try to get her to go back to sleep when we’re gone.”</p><p>“I will!” Tikki saluted, and Luka took one more wistful look at he apartment, and closed the door.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>14. A kiss so desperate that the two wind around each other, refusing to let go until they are finished.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <b>1</b> <b>4. A kiss so desperate that the two wind around each other, refusing to let go until they are finished.</b> </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Went a little literal with this one at the request of Someone.</em> </b>
</p><p>Marinette first noticed it the fourth time she stopped by the Liberty on a sunny afternoon and found Luka sleeping on a lounge chair on the upper deck. </p><p>“You’re going to get sunburned if you keep this up,” she scolded him when he blinked groggily at her, lifting one arm to shield his face from the bright sun beating down on him. </p><p>“I wear sunscreen,” he protested, with a stretch and a yawn. Marinette blushed and picked his shirt up from the deck where he’d left it, and pitched it at him. He laughed at her pink cheeks but apologized for making her uncomfortable.</p><p>“I’m not uncomfortable,” she protested, cheeks turning pinker. “I just think it’s weird that every time I come over here you’re basking in the sun like some kind of rep...tile,” she paused as it hit her. “Maybe you’ve been hanging out with Fang too much,” she continued, to cover the wheels suddenly turning in her mind. </p><p>A whispered conference with Sass while Luka was below getting them drinks confirmed her suspicions, and she jumped into some research as soon as she got home. Fortunately for everyone, Sass’s influence was largely subtle. Luka’s temperament was already “non-aggressive unless threatened,” he already spent a lot of time in the sun, and if he was more sensitive to vibrations than before, it didn’t affect his music, which was all that really mattered to either of them. </p><p>She jumped a little the first time she heard the low, growling hiss issue from him as Lila walked by them, and he looked a little surprised himself. Other than that, and a tendency to square up and <em>loom</em> when he was feeling especially protective, she hadn’t noticed that much...<em>snakiness</em> about him, so she largely stopped worrying. </p><p>Then they started dating, and Marinette suddenly found herself with six feet of lanky boyfriend constantly draped over and around her. There was a lot of giggling, mixed with numerous embarrassed and sometimes frustrated apologies from Luka as he tried to fit himself, rather literally, into her life. Presumably Sass had explained to him what was going on, but he couldn’t explain that to her and she couldn’t explain that she already knew. She guessed from his sudden hesitance that he feared his new instincts would cause him to push her boundaries more than she was comfortable with, so she did her best to reassure him, as casually and non-specifically as possible, that she truly didn’t mind snuggling so closely as long as his hands remained in appropriate places (and if she mentally added <em>for</em> <em>now</em>, they both ignored the vibrant blush that followed). It took time, but eventually they worked out cuddle positions that satisfied his instincts without encroaching too badly on her comfort and ability to work. It became normal for them, so much so that they occasionally forgot how it looked to other people.</p><p>They were waiting for Alya and Nino, cuddling and talking quietly, and something about the moment, about his soft eyes and deep voice and his breath on her neck as he curled around her and rested his head on her shoulder, sent thrills down her body. When he raised his head and kissed her, she kissed him back maybe a little more fervently than was wise given the time and place, and he responded just as eagerly, and when they finally, reluctantly separated, hazy-eyed and out of breath, they were tangled up, Marinette sitting on Luka’s thigh, her calves trapped between his legs and his body twisted over hers so that she was bent back slightly, supported by the strong arms wrapped tight around her. </p><p>“So are we going to the movie or are you guys planning to make out in the park for the rest of the evening?” </p><p>Marinette and Luka both jumped, and Marinette closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that her best friend had just a tiny bit more tact. Luka leaned back, pulling her upright, though he couldn’t quite seem to make himself let go. </p><p>“Damn, Couffaine,” Alya huffed, clearly holding back laughter. So was Nino, who had his hand over his mouth, though he was at least attempting to keep a straight face. “You hold onto her like you think she’s going to run away.” </p><p>Luka turned his face away and Marinette heard the faint hiss he couldn’t quite hold back. She took her arms from around his neck and wrapped them around his middle instead, squeezing him tight. “Lay off, Alya,” she shot back, snuggling into Luka’s chest. “I like Luka’s full-body snuggling very much.”</p><p>Luka grinned down at her and buried his face in her hair.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>12. Sneaking away to a hidden corner to share a secretive kiss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>12. Sneaking away to a hidden corner to share a secretive kiss.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>“Luka, Juleka said—Luka, are you okay?” <b><br/></b></p><p>Hands buried in his hair, face hidden under his elbows, Luka snorted. “No.”</p><p>He felt Marinette’s hands on his back, rubbing soothingly. “What’s the matter?” </p><p>“Have you looked out there?” </p><p>“Yeah,” Marinette said, her voice suddenly full of understanding and sympathy. “It’s a lot of people, isn’t it.” Her hands slid up and her cool fingertips felt good sliding over the back of his neck, and he tried to concentrate on the feeling, since deep breathing wasn’t helping him at the moment. “You’ve played big crowds before, though.” </p><p>“Not that big.” He felt her lips on the back of his neck and relented, sitting up and uncovering his face. “I’ll be fine when I get out there. It’s just the waiting gets to me. I usually try to be busy right up until showtime, but…” Luka pursed his lips for a moment, and then stood up. “Come with me,” he said, grabbing Marinette’s hand and leading her out of the small green room. </p><p>He dragged her deeper backstage, into the shadows of the equipment, and pulled out his phone, fiddling with it for a moment. </p><p>“Luka, what—” She cut off in sudden understanding as he turned to her and brought his hands up to brush along her cheeks. Marinette put her hands against his chest and felt how his heart pounded against his palms. </p><p>“Is this okay?” he asked, leaning his forehead against hers. “Just for a few minutes.” </p><p>“Of course it’s okay,” Marinette told him, sliding her hands up around his neck. “Whatever you need, I’m here for you.” </p><p>Luka sighed. “Thank you.” He kissed her, softly at first but with increasing desperation, his hands moving from her face back to tug out her hair ties. He broke from her just long enough to slip them on his left wrist before burying his hands in her hair, tilting her head back, and kissing her like his life depended on it. </p><p>Marinette did her best to hold onto him, to be his rock as he so often was hers, to match his desperation with all the love and support she could give him. She pressed her body up into him as he curled around her, shifting her arms around his back to hold him closer as he continued to touch her face and hair and finally tangled his hands back in her hair. </p><p>Luka’s phone beeped in his pocket, and he pulled away from her, sighing. He shut the alarm off and took Marinette’s face in his hands again, this time just leaning his forehead against hers. He slid his fingers gently through her hair. </p><p>“Did that help?” Marinette giggled. </p><p>“Honestly? No,” Luka admitted, still running his fingers through her hair in gentle strokes. “But it was a much better way to spend five minutes than uselessly panicking.”</p><p>Marinette hummed agreement, hands automatically moving to straighten his clothing and make sure he was still presentable. “You can do this,” she told him softly, cupping his cheek in her hand. “You were born to do this, Luka.” </p><p>“I can do this,” he repeated, lifting his face from her at last. He caught her hands and pressed her fingers to his lips. “I can do this,” he said again, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. </p><p>“Get out there, rock star,” Marinette told him. “Play the first one for me, okay?”</p><p>“For you,” he nodded slowly. “I can...I can do that. I can definitely do it.” </p><p>“Luka!” Juleka called, rather frantically, from somewhere out of sight. Marinette gave him a little shove, and Luka strode out of the shadows and back towards the room where everyone expected him to be.</p><p>“I’m here, Jules,” Marinette heard him call, and took a deep breath herself, reaching up to smooth her hair. She suddenly realized Luka still had her hair ties on his wrist, and rolled her eyes. “Sneak,” she muttered to herself, giggling.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>49. Short and sweet kiss after meeting up for a date.<br/></em>
  </b>
</p><p>It doesn’t surprise him that he gets to the café first. Marinette isn’t what you would call punctual on a good day, and well...every day can’t be a good day. It doesn’t bother him; Luka gets a table, smiles at the server, and orders a drink, before settling back and taking a moment like he’s always reminding Marinette to, just to breathe and get back in his own skin after the chaos of the day. When he feels calm, he gets his notebook out, paging through the notes from his last class, though he’s paying more attention to the song ideas he jotted in the margins than the actual academic information. (It’s a stupid class anyway.) </p><p>His phone beeps with a familiar tone, and he hears it repeated all around the café. Luka sighs and pulls it out of his pocket to check the location of the akuma attack. Not that it matters all that much, but at least—wow, it’s all the way on the other side of town. Upside, they won’t have to evacuate the restaurant so the date won’t be a total loss. Downside, Marinette will probably be really late. Luka’s lower lip slides out in a slight pout as he puts his chin in his fist. </p><p>“Still doing okay?” the server asks as she stops by his table, and Luka jerks upright, smiling automatically, turning his phone over quickly though there’s nothing incriminating about checking an akuma alert. </p><p>“Actually, my date’s running a bit late, so I think I’m going to go ahead and order something while I wait,” he tells her, picking up his menu.</p><p>“Oh, bummer,” she says sympathetically, pulling out her pad and pen. “That’s got to be frustrating.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Luka smiles absently as he finds the list of appetizers. “She’s worth waiting for.” He takes the opportunity to order an appetizer he knows Marinette would hate anyway. After the server walks away, he pulls up the Ladyblog so he can keep an eye on his girlfriend. He avoids the livestream; he doesn’t need to freak out in public and he can’t do anything to help her unless she comes for him. He just checks the news posts periodically as he munches his way through his appetizer, and breathes a sigh of relief when the akuma is reported defeated, looking up to flag the waitress down.</p><p>Shortly after, Marinette finally comes bursting through the door, windblown and out of breath, and he feels struck through the heart all over again as she scans the café frantically. They’ve been dating for almost a year and she still has that effect on him. </p><p>He stands up and she spots him, and Luka winces as she nearly causes several accidents in her hurry to get to him. Even so, he sweeps her up as she runs into his arms, babbling apologies and excuses that he doesn’t bother to listen to as he gives the people staggering in her wake an apologetic smile over her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter,” he says, squeezing her tight before drawing back and sliding his hands to grip her shoulders. It’s his little ritual, to assure himself that she’s safe and real—the only acknowledgement he allows himself that he could lose her any day to a madman obsessed with magic butterflies. “You’re here now.” </p><p>“I’m still sorry,” she gasps. Luka shakes his head and bends, Marinette leaning up automatically to meet him, and though the kiss is quick, it’s warm and soft, and he can feel her shoulders relax under his hands. That’s the part he hates the most about not being able to tell her he knows; the fear that eats at her that she’ll push him too far one day and he won’t be so forgiving of her tardiness and occasionally entire absences. Luka can’t tell her doesn’t mind being stood up once in a while if it means Paris is still standing at the end of the night. Sass made him swear, told him it would make things worse if she knew he knew, and Luka trusts the kwami, so he stays silent, and does his best to reassure Marinette by word and deed that he’s not angry. </p><p>He pulls out Marinette’s chair, smiling slightly as she sits and immediately grabs the fresh, full glass of water sitting by her plate and tries not to be too obvious about chugging it. Luka’s hands find her shoulders to squeeze one more time before he goes back to his side of the table, laughing at her as she wrinkles her nose at the remains of his appetizer and offering her a refill from the pitcher he asked the server to leave.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's a wrap! Except it isn't exactly...I really wanted to end with a follow up to the one where Marinette is leaving, and then I somehow miscounted how many I had left to write. So, expect a bonus day at some point, and I'll see how many of the remaining kiss prompts I can combine into it. I don't know when exactly I'll be able to get to it but it's in the works. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed thirty days of smooching!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Finale</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you follow me on tumblr the beginning of this will be familiar, since I posted it in pieces on there, but finally, here is the complete finale/bonus chapter! This piece continues Chapter 17 (46. A lingering kiss before a long trip apart.) and I tried to include all the remaining prompts. They aren't exactly in order, but you can try to spot them all for fun.</p><p>Part 1<br/>47. A kiss paired with a tight hug, knocking the breath out of the person being hugged.<br/>48. One person has to bend down in order to kiss their partner, who is standing on their tip-toes to reach their partner’s.<br/>39. Kissing tears from the other’s face.<br/>36. Starting with eskimo kisses before moving on to soft kisses.<br/>40. A gentle kiss that quickly descends into passion, with little regard for what’s going on around them.<br/>43. A kiss pressed to the top of the head.</p><p>Part 2<br/>26. Brushing a kiss along the shell of the other person’s ear.<br/>20. Kissing in a stairwell, giving them an artificial height difference.<br/>23. A kiss that tastes of the food/dessert they are eating.<br/>41. Kisses shared under an umbrella.</p><p>Part 3<br/>18. Teasing kisses where one person blows air into the other’s mouth and runs away.<br/>9. A kiss that lasts so long, they are sharing each other’s breaths.<br/>45. Kisses exchanged as they move around, hitting the edges of tables or nearly tripping over things on the floor before making it to the sofa, or bed.<br/>27. Kisses exchanged while one person sits on the other’s lap.<br/>50. A kiss, followed by more that trail down the jaw and neck.<br/>34. Kisses that start on their fingers and run up their arm, eventually ending on their lips.<br/>24. Deep kisses where they have their hands tangled in each other’s hair to pull them closer.<br/>31. Pulling away from a kiss, whispering words of love against each other’s lips.<br/>22. A kiss that is leading to more, but is interrupted by a third party.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t as if he was unprepared. She’d been gone for a little over a year, but they still talked and texted and video called so often that Luka had had to upgrade his internet plan to keep up. There were months where he didn’t see her; where she was somewhere with spotty or no signal, and all he got was a very occasional “I’m fine, miss you” or a picture of a spectacular sunset somewhere. But most of the time, they kept in contact. The wall over his bed was plastered with her pictures and postcards and he went to sleep staring at her face almost every night.</p><p>So Luka was prepared for the way her new pixie cut made Marinette’s stunning eyes even more striking, for the new earrings decorating the shells of her ears, the extra freckles the sun had dotted across her face, and the deep tan that had started out as a painful sunburn. </p><p>Luka wasn’t prepared in the least for the way her face lit up when she saw him, or for the true living color of those eyes fixed entirely on him, or for the way the arms she threw around his chest crushed him, sending all of the air out of his suddenly slack-jawed mouth in a whoosh, or for the way she immediately rose up on her toes, sliding her hands up his chest and around his neck to pull him down into a kiss that exceeded every fantasy he’d had about this moment. The constant fear he’d been living with that something would happen, that her feelings would change, that she’d find a reason not to come back, melted under the heated way she kissed him, like she’d been waiting for it, missing it just like he had, and Luka wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back for all he was worth. </p><p>She was <em>back</em>, and she still loved him.</p><p>He didn’t realize there were tears on his face until she pulled back and brought her hands to his cheeks. “Luka,” she breathed, and he’d never forget the way his name sounded in that moment, as she leaned up and gently kissed the tear tracks. </p><p>“Sorry,” he said roughly, pulling away just long enough to wipe his eyes on his sleeve. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know where that came from—” </p><p>“It’s okay,” she soothed, stroking his cheeks. “It’s really okay.” And it was, because when he looked back at her, her eyes were shimmering too. </p><p>“Marinette,” he sighed, cupping her face in his hands, discovering anew how small she was compared to him as his fingers curled around the back of her head. Her eyes closed briefly and he wondered if it was his touch or the sound of her name that made her do it. He rested his forehead against hers. “I missed you,” he croaked, and cleared his throat. </p><p>“I missed you too,” she replied, and he couldn’t help a smile at her breathless squeak and the way she had to clear her throat too. Her hands moved to curl lightly around his wrists. “I’m home.” </p><p>Luka’s smile widened, and he brushed his nose lightly against hers. “No regrets?” he asked softly. </p><p>She smiled and nuzzled him back. “None. You were right, I needed this, but I’m so happy to be home.” She tilted her face, and he obliged, kissing her softly, testing out the feel of her lips, still pink and plump but slightly roughened from all the time spent outdoors. Her mouth curved in a smile under his, but she just leaned into him and let him explore as they traded tender kisses. Luka brushed his fingers over the new piercings he’d been subtly staring at in every picture and video for months, and slid his hands back to get acquainted with the feel of her short, silky strands sliding through his fingers. He found he especially loved stroking the even shorter hairs at the nape of her neck. His rough fingers traced the curve down the back of her neck and she gasped against him. </p><p>That was new. He glided his fingers back up just to be sure and sure enough just as his fingers met her hairline, her head tipped back slightly and he felt her lips open beneath his as she moaned softly. A low growl of his own escaped him and he wrapped one arm tight around her waist to pull her hard against him as his other hand gently gripped her short hair to bring her face to just the right angle. He nipped at her lips and drove his tongue into her hot mouth, reveling in the way she pressed up into him, her hands gripping his shoulders tight for a moment before her strong arms wound around his neck to hold him just as fiercely as he was holding her.</p><p>Caught up in the sudden rush of a year’s worth of longing, Luka entirely forgot where they were and that people were waiting for them, lost in the sensations crashing through him as they swayed lightly in place. He broke the kiss only for a brief gasp of air, but the alarm on the top of the baggage carousel sounded just as he was coming back for more, and they both jumped, suddenly brought violently back to reality.</p><p>Breathing hard, Luka let Marinette peel herself away from him, and then slipped behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Marinette bit her lip and Luka suspected she was trying not to laugh at him. “Need a minute?” she asked, pressing back into him. </p><p>Luka grunted. “More than a minute if you keep doing that,” he muttered by her ear, hands going to her upper arms and squeezing. “It’s been a long time since I actually got to touch you. Can you blame me for being a little tense?” He dropped his face to the crook of her neck and sighed, and then inhaled again with some surprise. “You smell amazing.” </p><p>He could hear the smile in her voice. “You like it? I blended it myself on that trip I told you about last month.” </p><p>“Mmm.” He breathed her in again. “You’re trying to kill me.” </p><p>“I might be,” she conceded, giggling as she turned her attention to the baggage carousel. </p><p>“After those pictures you sent me last month you’re only going to admit to <em>might be</em>?” </p><p>He lifted his face from her shoulder just to watch Marinette’s face flame up. Oh, he’d missed those fiery blushes. Technology seemed so wonderful until she was here in person and the blue of her eyes and pink of her cheeks made all those pictures and videos seem suddenly dull by comparison. Technology, he reflected, actually had quite a ways to go yet. </p><p>“There wasn’t anything wrong with those pictures,” Marinette said primly. </p><p>“No, there wasn’t,” Luka agreed fervently. “Not a damn thing.” </p><p>“It was a perfectly modest swimsuit.” </p><p>“It was,” Luka agreed. “And you looked fantastic in it.” </p><p>Before Marinette could retort, Luka’s toe nudged something on the floor and he suddenly remembered the box he’d been holding as he waited for her. “Oh,” he said, letting go of Marinette to pick it up. “I wanted to bring you something but I thought a bouquet would be a bit hard to manage,” he explained as he fumbled the box open, relieved that the contents were intact despite his having dropped it the second she flung herself at him. “Our, uh, our little friend and I did some brainstorming and—well, it was kind of my idea, but I had to get Rose to actually make it for me…” Luka drew out a circlet of pink and white flowers delicately woven together with wire, watching her face a little anxiously, but he relaxed when she lit up with delight. </p><p>“It’s beautiful! That’s really sweet, Luka,” she said, hands clasping together in front of her as she bounced on her toes slightly. </p><p>“You deserve the big bouquet,” he said with a slight shrug and a lopsided smile as she twisted to look up at him, “But...well, like I said, I thought you’d probably need your hands. I hope it’s not—I mean, I’m glad you like it.” Tikki had assured him Marinette would love it, but he’d still been nervous.</p><p>“It’s perfect,” Marinette smiled, leaning back into him.</p><p>“May I?” he gestured, and when she nodded, he set the crown carefully in her hair, tying the ribbon at the nape of her neck and secured the top carefully with the bobby pins Rose had provided. He smiled and caressed her cheek when he was done. She turned her face to kiss his fingers, and then turned around to hug him with a contented sigh. </p><p>When she let go of him, Luka picked up her carry-on from where she’d dumped it on the floor, and slung the strap over his shoulder. He put his arm around her shoulders and she pressed against his side. It felt so, so good to have her there again. He couldn’t help leaning over to press a kiss to the top of her head.</p><p>“Your public awaits,” he teased, to cover the sudden lump in his throat. “Let’s get your bags and get out of here before your dad decides to come look for you himself.” </p><p>Marinette groaned. “He’s gone overboard, hasn’t he.”</p><p>“Mm…” Luka hesitated, and then relented. “Yeah, he really did. If it hadn’t been for your mom I’m pretty sure he would have closed the bakery so he could come get you himself. He’s probably already sitting at the window watching for us, so we better get a move on.”</p>
<hr/><p>They were quiet on the cab ride back to the bakery. They’d done all the talking they needed to do over the last year, and both seemed content just to bask in each other’s presence for the moment. Luka could have ridden in that taxi all night with Marinette cuddled up to to his side and tucked into his arm, if the driver hadn’t had such abysmal taste in music. As much as he missed Marinette’s warmth against him when they got out, he was less disappointed than they could have been. He handed the driver Kitty Section’s business card (designed by Marinette of course, and complete with the band’s instagram and youtube channel) with his tip.</p><p>They went in the side door and Marinette paused, taking a deep breath. Luka squeezed her hand and then let go of it. “I’ll take your bag upstairs,” he told her. “You go on and see your parents.”</p><p>He got about halfway up the first flight before he paused. “Marinette?” he asked. She was still standing in the stairwell, looking up at him. </p><p>Marinette shook her head. “I’m just happy to see you. In person, you know.” The smile she turned up at him was so content and happy that Luka couldn’t help himself; he set her suitcase on the stair and leaned over the rail, on his toes and bent nearly double to reach her, and Marinette, giggling, leaned up to meet him in a kiss that was slightly too hard and not completely on target—but it didn’t matter, because it wasn’t blowing kisses across a few thousand miles. They grinned at each other, and then Marinette turned to go into the bakery as Luka grabbed the bag and nearly ran up the rest of the stairs, fizzing with nervous energy all over again.</p><p>He laughed when he heard Tom’s excited roar all the way up two floors.</p><p>Dinner was excellent, as it always was with the Dupains. Luka had been invited at least once a month while Marinette was gone. They’d even invited his mother and sister along a few times, and had a slightly cramped dinner at the Liberty that he was sure had scandalized Tom in a multitude of ways. Without Marinette there to smooth things along, it was a little awkward, especially in the beginning, but it was soon clear to Luka at least that more than anything else, they just missed their daughter and wanted any extra news they could get. He rarely had anything to share that they didn’t already know, but it did give them all a chance to get comfortable with each other. </p><p>Although it turned out literally none of that mattered now that he was actually in physical proximity to Marinette at their table. Neither Luka nor Marinette could quite manage to keep their hands to themselves, fingers meeting and tangling together both under and over the table almost without thought. Luka could barely take his eyes off her, cataloguing all the little changes that hadn’t come across over the screens. More new freckles visible over her tan, the light curve of a scar behind and below her ear where she’d had an unfortunate encounter with a tree branch. Which only led him to realize how incredibly distracting her bare neck was with the new haircut.</p><p>And every time she turned her head his eyes kept returning to the blue gems running along the hoop decorating the top of her ear—the ones that were a match for his hair rather than her eyes. </p><p>Luka took no offense when Tom was a little gruffer with him than usual. </p><p>The excited smile on Marinette’s face when Tom proudly brought out some kind of custard cake dessert decorated with fruit rendered Luka both dumb and stupid for several minutes. He caught Sabine’s amused look and blushed, but Sabine just reached across the small table and patted his hand. If she gave him a knowing look when she asked Luka and Marinette to clear the table, Luka was too busy being grateful to take offense.</p><p>The moment the plates were in the sink Luka caught Marinette around the waist and dipped to press his mouth to hers. She raised up on her toes and put her arms around his neck, kissing him back with gratifying enthusiasm. He swept his tongue over her lips, tasting strawberry and custard, and she let him in for a brief moment before pulling back. “Are you still going to show me your new place?” she asked, one hand sliding down to play with the front of his shirt.</p><p>“That was the plan.” Luka’s toes curled in his boots and he bit his lip as she leaned forward and kissed his neck just above his collar, then rose up on her toes again, running her nose up his neck and inhaling before nuzzling his ear. “If you’re still up for it,” he managed, mind suddenly gone fuzzy as her lips brushed lightly against the lobe, and then moved up along the shell of his ear. Her fingers slid up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck and Luka’s struggle to find words intensified. “We can wait till...um...till tomorrow if you’re tired.” </p><p>“No, I want to see it tonight,” she breathed into his ear, and he nearly convulsed in her arms, the shudder that passed through him was so intense. “Give me a few minutes to say goodbye and we can go.”</p><p>“Okay,” he agreed roughly, and Marinette pressed one more lingering, strawberry-flavored kiss to his lips before slipping away.</p><p>Luka leaned back against the sink and contemplated sticking his head under the faucet. “Tikki,” he whined softly. “She’s trying to kill me.” </p><p>“Seems that way,” the tiny voice giggled from his hood. “You two agreed you’d go slow on the physical stuff for a while while you got reacquainted.”</p><p>Luka made a noise that was more acknowledgement than agreement. Because if Marinette had decided to kill him despite their agreement, he knew he’d go to his death gladly and without regrets. </p><p>He managed to get himself calmed down enough to go back out and make it through the goodbyes without making too big a fool out of himself. They had to know by now that he was stupid in love with their daughter, anyway. Tom had tried to talk her into staying but Marinette insisted that she wanted to see Luka’s new apartment.</p><p>They found a light rain falling when they got downstairs. </p><p>“Red sky in morning, sailor take warning,” Luka quoted to himself, chuckling and glad that he’d been awake to see the sky this morning. He reached into one of the pockets of his cargo pants and pulled out an umbrella. “Thought we might need this,” he grinned, opening it and stepping out into the rain. He turned and held his hand out to Marinette. “Ready to go?” </p><p>Marinette stared at him for a long moment. Luka tilted his head slightly, wondering what was going on in her head. She was clearly having a moment, but he wasn’t sure what kind. Luka waited patiently, and she slowly put her hand in his. He drew her to him and under the umbrella, dropping his hand to her hip when she was near. “Everything okay?” he asked. </p><p>“Yeah,” she said, her voice thick. “I just love you. I really do.” </p><p>Luka knew his grin at that was soft and sappy and everything Juleka had ever teased him about. Marinette reached up to him and he let her draw him down and kiss him sweetly, her sweet lips caressing his with a gentler, more tender emotion this time. Luka melted into it, his free arm wrapping around her waist, the umbrella tipping slightly in his distraction. “I love you too,” he told her, nudging his nose against hers. “Come on, let’s go before you get soaked.”</p>
<hr/><p>“Prepare yourself,” Luka said as they approached the stairs of his apartment building.</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“For not much,” he grinned, looking down at her. “It’s pretty small.” </p><p>Marinette huffed. “Sure, Luka. Because everybody’s first apartment in Paris is huge with a view of the Eiffel Tower.” </p><p>“Well, it was a tiny studio apartment or a roommate, and I—” He paused, and cleared his throat. “Had my reasons for wanting it this way.” </p><p>“Mm-hmm,” Marinette said teasingly, and Luka knew he was blushing.  </p><p>She went up on her toes and Luka bent automatically to receive her kiss, but instead he got a gust of strawberry scented air in his face, making him blink, and Marinette was running away giggling. Luka rolled his eyes and chased her up the apartment stairs, grinning the whole way.</p><p>She’d always been strong and fast and she clearly hadn’t lost any of that, but Luka had been doing his fair share of running over rooftops while she was gone and his legs were longer. He caught her right at the top of the stairs and grabbed her, and they both stumbled giggling onto the landing, breathing hard and tangled up. Luka wasn’t sure exactly how they ended up against his door, but he was kissing Marinette even as he fumbled for his keys in a pocket that suddenly seemed vast. His fingers finally caught the ring and he pulled it out, breaking the kiss to find the right key and fit it in the lock. The rest he could manage without looking so he kissed her again, and they both stumbled into his apartment as the door gave way. Luka barely managed to jerk his keys back out of the lock before kicking it shut. Marinette reached around him to throw the bolt.</p><p>Finally, finally away from any distractions, restraint became impossible, and Luka grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her with everything he had. Marinette stumbled backward as he pressed closer, and his hands moved to her hips to steady her as her arms came up around his neck. They bumped into a stack of boxes he hadn’t quite unpacked, and shifted away, barely willing to pause for breath, let alone sight. Luka navigated them towards the couch with quick peeks and shuffling steps, suddenly glad that his apartment was so small. He winced as the sharp corner of some probably extremely unnecessary piece of furniture jabbed into him and Marinette yelped into his mouth as her heel hit something and she nearly fell backwards, but Luka steadied her. Marinette tightened her arms around his neck and hopped up to wrap her legs around him. Thanks to a year of consistent, if uneventful, superheroing, he managed to keep his balance and carry her the last few steps, until his foot caught the edge of that stupid rug that Juleka had insisted he needed and they landed on the couch in a heap.</p><p>“Sorry,” Luka grunted, laughter bubbling up as he pushed himself up and back quickly so that he didn’t crush her. Marinette followed him, giggling as well.</p><p>“Don’t be,” she said, climbing over him to straddle his lap, and Luka very much wasn’t, staring up into her beautiful, joyful face as she slowly bent and kissed him long and deeply. “It’s so nice to finally be able to touch you,” she breathed, fingertips running lightly down his face.</p><p>“Then touch me,” Luka nearly begged, lifting his chin so her fingers could continue their slow torturous path down his throat. </p><p>“Where?” Marinette asked, and Luka burned. </p><p>“Anywhere,” he growled. “Everywhere.” </p><p>That was maybe a little bit too honest, but before he could take it back, or at least tone it down, Marinette kissed him hard, pressing him back into the couch, and he suddenly didn’t care anymore. She made a needy noise as her hands pressed into his chest and slid down, and he moaned in response, muscles tightening and jumping beneath her touch. Her fingers curled in his shirt and tugged, bunching the fabric up so the hem rode up his body, and belatedly he realized that she wanted it off. He broke away just long enough to reach back tug the collar over his head and then she really was touching him, her hands roaming over his bare chest and arms and back even as he was still trying to get the shirt off his arms. At last it was on the floor and Luka fell back against the couch only to arch into the firm kisses Marinette began placing along his chest. When he couldn’t take it anymore he pulled her up and kissed her fiercely. </p><p>“You have a lot of nerve teasing me about those pictures,” Marinette panted, canting her head to the side as Luka mouthed along her jaw. Her hands flexed against his chest, nails scraping his skin lightly. “After the ones you sent me. Do you know how long I’ve been wanting to get my hands on these muscles?” </p><p>Luka chuckled against her skin and pressed his palms to her back, supporting her as she let her head fall back. “It was hot that day,” he muttered, kissing the hollow of her throat and trailing his lips along her collarbone. “And please tell Juleka you thought those pictures were sexy. She took them, she’ll <em>die</em>.” He laughed wickedly and Marinette moaned, her fingers finding his hair and tugging. Luka let her lift his head and then her mouth was on his again, hard and demanding, her other hand also slipping into his hair to draw him even closer.</p><p>Marinette pulled back and Luka blinked hazily, unsure why she had stopped until she lifted his hand and smirked at him as she nuzzled into his palm. “You know I love your hands,” she whispered, as, eyes on his, she laid a soft kiss at the base of his index finger, and then pressed one to the center of his palm. Luka whimpered, fidgeting in his seat, and she moved to the inside of his wrist, sucking at the delicate skin there. </p><p>“But God,” she continued in a breathy voice that he’d only heard her use once or twice, during very late night calls, “After those pictures. Seeing you hang off the rigging like that. I wanted to do this so bad.” Luka bit his lip hard as he watched her work her way up his arm, her lips and tongue following the curve of muscle along his forearm and bicep, the rest of her pressing closer as she moved higher. Luka shifted underneath her, distantly glad that he was wearing his work pants and not his tighter jeans. His eyes fell closed as her lips found his shoulder and moved up his neck until she found his lips in a kiss that was torturously slow and soft. He slid his fingers up to play with her short hair, caressing her jaw lightly with his thumbs as he let her explore his mouth as thoroughly as she liked. </p><p>The motion of his thumbs along that curve reminded him of something he’d been thinking earlier. Luka slipped gently from her lips and pressed his own along her jaw, softly, and then harder. He left a trail of open kisses down that deliciously bare neck he’d been eyeing all evening, and when he reached that place where her neck met her shoulder, where her pulse fluttered against his lips through the warm, soft skin, he kissed it tenderly and then clamped down, sucking hard. Marinette gasped and bucked and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her still while he nipped and sucked until she made a sound that was more like pain than pleasure. </p><p>“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice so deep and gravelly he hardly recognized it himself. </p><p>“Liar,” she sighed, hands sliding down his chest, and he shivered, kissing the spot lightly and running his tongue over it. </p><p>“Maybe,” he admitted. “I didn’t mean to hurt you though.” </p><p>She made a sound in her throat that made him grin against her skin. “I forgive you.”</p><p>“Yeah?” he murmured, one hand moving up her back. </p><p>“If you keep using that voice, absolutely,” she said, kissing him, and they melted into another series of long, slow kisses, the heat between them not gone but banked for the moment as they just enjoyed the feel of their lips sliding together. </p><p>Luka chuckled against her mouth. “Do you remember,” he murmured, “That time you called me really late from Cairo?” </p><p>Marinette groaned. “Luka, I was drunk.” </p><p>“You were not drunk,” he chuckled. “Tipsy, definitely, but you knew exactly what you were saying. You tortured me and you loved every minute of it.” </p><p>Marinette groaned again and buried her face in his neck. “I said I was sorry. Luka, this is embarrassing!”</p><p>“I just thought of it because that night you said my voice alone made you—” </p><p>“Luka,” she growled, and it made him shiver. “<em>Shut up</em>.” </p><p>“Make me,” he told her in that deep voice, and she growled again before she kissed him roughly, teeth scraping his lower lip. She soothed it almost immediately with a gentle, almost apologetic stroke of her tongue, and kissed him more softly. </p><p>“I loved it,” Luka murmured in the brief space between kisses. “I loved that you were thinking of me that way. I love you.” His breath caught, and he kissed her again to cover it, squeezing his eyes shut as her hands came up to stroke his face, soft and understanding. </p><p>“I love you too,” she breathed, kissing him again as he wrapped his arms tight around her.</p><p>“I’m glad you went,” he mumbled as she pressed light kisses against his lips and chin, “But I’m even more glad you’re back.” </p><p>“I’m back,” she said softly, nuzzling his jaw. “And I’m staying.” </p><p>She pushed back gently. Luka released her, hands sliding to her waist, and for a moment they just looked at each other. Marinette leaned in and Luka waited, eyes half-lidded, darting between the red of her lips and the blue of her eyes and the sparkle on her ears and the darkness of her short hair. </p><p>“I’m really digging the haircut,” he said just before Marinette’s lips pressed his. </p><p>“Yeah?” she asked, low and sultry, and Luka’s pulse began to pick up again. </p><p>“Yeah,” he growled, “Definitely.” He slid his fingers up, playing with the short hairs at the nape of her neck and smiling when her breath hitched. She was still wearing the flower crown. Luka tugged the ribbons loose gently and slid out the bobby pins. Marinette lifted it off and leaned over to put it carefully on the farthest arm of the couch. When it was out of harm’s way, Luka buried his hands in her hair and pulled Marinette down to his mouth. He teased her lips gently with his own, slow and deliberate, keeping the brush of his tongue against hers light and delicate, smiling into the kiss when she whined and flattened her hands against his chest, kneading thoughtlessly. Luka moaned into her mouth but refused to go any faster just yet, savoring every touch and taste. He kissed her and kissed her even as he trembled, hardly willing to part with her mouth long enough to take breath, drawing her soft exhales into his own lungs instead. </p><p>He could only hold back so long, though, and his slow kisses got deeper, more urgent, his hands in her hair pulling her even closer, until Marinette made a muffled, needy noise and put her arms around his neck, rolling her hips down onto him. Startled, Luka broke from her lips, head falling back, and he wasn’t sure if the noise that escaped him meant don’t do that or don’t stop. Marinette made a similar noise, high-pitched and gasping, and blinked in surprise, her perfect lips red and shiny and slightly parted as she stared down at him. Luka panted beneath her, hands moving back to her hips, and it was all he could do to sit still and not pull her down against him again. Marinette looked him through her lashes, two perfect spots of red on her cheeks as she examined him with all the intensity of Ladybug in problem solving mode. Luka swallowed thickly. She leaned forward slightly, only a breath away from kissing him again, and rolled her hips again. </p><p>“Oh,” she breathed, her eyes going half-lidded, and Luka moaned from both the sensation and the sound as she began rocking against him.</p><p>It felt so good and her mouth was back on his, assaulting all his senses with her kiss and her touch and her gasping little moans. Luka was losing his mind, his own hips rising to meet her, desperate for more. He clutched blindly at her shirt, dragging it loose from her shorts and slipping his hands under it. He ran his hands up the soft skin of her sides, dragging her shirt up with them, and just as he opened his mouth to beg her to let him take it off, an excruciatingly loud, inappropriately cheerful, and painfully high-pitched voice squealed, “Marinette!” </p><p>They both startled and jerked apart, looking for intruders before it dawned on their addled brains where that voice had come from. They exchanged a look, breathing heavily, both disheveled and heavy-lidded and kiss-bruised, and Luka licked his lips as his eyes fixed on the dark red mark at the base of Marinette’s neck. </p><p>A second call from that high-pitched voice, however, and Marinette seemed to forget all about him. “Tikki!” she exclaimed, twisting around to hold out her hands, and the giggling tiny god flew into them, allowing herself to be nuzzled and cuddled against Marinette’s cheek. “I missed you so much!”</p><p>“Not too much,” Tikki teased, tweaking Marinette’s nose. “Since you forgot I was here.”</p><p>Marinette blushed as red as Tikki, and the little god giggled. “It’s okay, Marinette,” she teased, standing in Marinette’s palm and striking a pose with one flipper behind her head and the other on her hip. “I know I’m not as good-looking as Luuuuuuuka. But I’m still your friend,” she pouted, dropping out of her pose as Marinette looked ready to die of embarrassment. “And I still missed you! I got tired of waiting for you to remember me!”</p><p>“I missed you too, Tikki,” Marinette sighed with an apologetic smile. “Sorry that we got…” she glanced at Luka, who was flopped back against the back of the couch, still breathing hard (and also, he had to admit, pouting) and then away. “Carried away. Quite so much. Um.” </p><p>Luka gave Tikki a dirty look, but the kwami just gave him a look right back. “You two had an agreement,” Tikki said in her most reasonable voice, which Luka had always hated because it sounded like <em>authority</em>. Luka rolled his eyes and let his head fall back. “And you had good reasons for it.” </p><p>“Our agreement, our decision,” he muttered, and groaned when Marinette climbed off him. “Tikki,” he whined, grabbing a throw pillow and dropping it in his lap.</p><p>“Luuuukaaaa,” she pretended to whine back, not even bothering to dodge the pillow when he threw it at her, just phasing through it instead. </p><p>Luka let out one more frustrated groan and then sighed, rubbing his eyes with one hand. He peeked at Marinette, and immediately felt guilty at the worried, conflicted look on her face. He mustered up a smile. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, a little roughly but as gently as he could manage at the moment. “If you want to stop, we’ll stop.” </p><p>Her eyes dropped to his lap and he blushed, shifting his legs. “It’s fine,” Luka assured her, scooping the pillow back up from the floor and hiding behind it. “I just need a little time to cool off.” His eyes went to the mark on her neck again and he swallowed hard. “And maybe a cold shower.” </p><p>He got up off of the couch. </p><p>“Where are you going?” Marinette asked worriedly. </p><p>“Bathroom,” Luka sighed, picking up his shirt off the floor. “I’ll be back in a minute and we can watch a movie or something.” </p><p>Marinette caught his hand, that expression still on her face, and Luka leaned down and kissed her lightly. “It’s okay, really. I just need a few minutes. Trust me, I won’t be long,” he muttered, tossing the shirt over his shoulder. “You two can catch up,” he said, shooting Tikki an irritated look. He was a patient guy and he’d never push Marinette into anything she didn’t want to do, but that hardly applied here. He pitched his shirt into his hamper a little harder than necessary and rummaged in his drawers quickly for a pair of loose gym shorts, and shut himself in the bathroom, trying to ignore the embarrassed giggle Marinette shared with Tikki.</p><p>He was still annoyed with the tiny god when he exited the bathroom. Yeah, they had a plan, but plans change and really, after a certain point did it really matter which one of them was touching him when he—Luka frowned. The lights were off and Marinette wasn’t on the couch.</p><p>“I can’t believe you put all of these up.”</p><p>Luka turned, and found Marinette sitting on the edge of his bed, looking up at his collection of pictures. She had clearly raided his closet, since she was now wearing one of his shirts. A flash of pink caught his eye, and he saw her clothes folded neatly on the floor beside the foot of the bed. Marinette followed his gaze and blushed, hunching in on herself slightly.</p><p>“I hope you don’t mind,” she said, moving the collar back up where it had slipped over one shoulder—which only made it hang lower in the front. “I thought, if we were going to watch a movie, I might as well get comfortable.” </p><p>“I always want you to be comfortable here,” he said, coming to sit next to her and putting his arm around her waist. “Why wouldn’t I put them up? You look so happy in them.” He pointed to one where she was standing by a waterfall, sweaty and disheveled with a huge grin and a fist in the air. “That’s my favorite.” </p><p>“That one, really?” Marinette giggled, leaning into him. His hand slipped easily under the voluminous shirt and flatted against the bare skin of her back. He tried not to be disappointed that she had on what felt like another pair of his gym shorts underneath, riding very low on her hips. “I look terrible.” </p><p>Luka nudged her with his shoulder. “You look proud of yourself. Like for one minute you finally let yourself recognize that you did something hard and you deserve credit for it. I like all your looks, but that’s not one I get to see very often. You always find a reason to downplay it. But there?” He looked up at the picture again. “You’re owning it. And I love it.”</p><p>Marinette sighed softly, and for a moment they were silent. </p><p>“You know,” Luka said at last, “We should probably do what we actually came here to do.”</p><p>Marinette giggled, and shifted to face him. “Yeah. I guess we should.” </p><p>They both reached for their own ears. Luka sighed a little as the miraculous slipped free, putting one in Marinette’s hand and accepting his own in return, then repeating the operation with the other ear. The once-familiar studs felt strange now in his ears; dull and cold. </p><p>Marinette, however, was smiling, touching the miraculous reverently. Luka smiled. They were back where they belonged, after all. He’d get used to being <em>normal</em> again. He was just a stand in, after all, but Marinette—Marinette was Ladybug. Those earrings were back where they belonged. Tikki did a happy little dance in the air, and then zoomed in, snuggled Luka and then Marinette, before zipping off to Luka’s kitchenette in search of cookies.</p><p>Luka chuckled, and Marinette beamed up at him, and put her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. Luka swallowed hard and folded his arms around her, drawing her close. He was just so glad to have her back. </p><p>Marinette let out a couple of shaky breaths, and then pulled back, a contented smile on her face that made him feel warm in an entirely different way from the fire he’d been burning in all night. “So...shall we watch that movie?” she said, sliding back on the bed and taking his hands to draw him with her. Luka gladly followed, watching as his too-large clothing bunched and shifted while she moved and shimmied over to make room for him. It shifted under his hands, too, when he held her, and Marinette made no protest when his rough hands slid under the shirt and over the smooth skin of her back. She only snuggled into him and sighed contentedly. </p><p>Luka nudged her temple with his nose and she leaned up and kissed him. They shared another smile and Luka reached over for the remote on his nightstand.</p><p>Once they’d settled on a movie and started playing it, though, Luka suddenly found Marinette very distracting, as she traced her fingers absently over his abs and not-so-absently nuzzled his neck. She pressed her lips into his shoulder, then his neck, and then his jaw, and Luka sighed.</p><p>“Marinette,” he tried to say, but it came out more like a whine. </p><p>“Taking things slow doesn’t mean we don’t do <em>anything</em>.” She grinned against his skin, nipping lightly.</p><p>Luka groaned. “You’re going to kill me.” </p><p>“Maybe,” she giggled, scooting a little closer and nibbling at his ear. “But <em>slowly</em>.”   </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed this little bonus chapter! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Titled for obvious reasons but also related to this lovely guitar piece, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZwm2Ei5Ytw">April Kisses</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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